Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Celebrating local achievements & preparing for a new session

Celebrating local achievements & preparing for a new session

Dear Neighbor,

 

I hope you aren’t having any trouble staying warm this week! I continue to work with my colleagues to preserve (and improve when needed) the programs that help families struggling to keep up with their heating bills as they regain their footing:

  • LIHEAP is a program that can help you with your home heating bills, including crisis grants to stop an impending utility shut-off. Learn more here.
  • The Whole Home Repairs Program can pay for up to $50,000 of repairs and modifications to your home if you’re eligible (based on household income), including weatherization to maintain temperatures. Learn about it here.

As with any state program, my staff and I are here to help you apply – just stop in my office or give us a call at (610) 534-1002. We’re here at 605 E. Chester Pike in Ridley Park weekdays from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. My Darby Township office at 713 Sharon Ave. is open weekly on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and by appointment.

 

Sincerely,

 

PA Representative David Delloso's signature image

Pennsylvania State Rep. David M. Delloso

 

Around the Community

MLK Day of Service

I participated in the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service in Prospect Park on Monday, where I was among those who took turns reading from a book written by Dr. King’s son, Dexter Scott King: ‘Growing Up King: An Intimate Memoir.’

Dexter passed away last year after battling prostate cancer, which disproportionately impacts Black men in America; they are twice as likely to die from the disease. The event was led by Prospect Park Borough Councilman Paul K. Johnson, his 8th MLK Day of Service organized for the borough.

 

Because of a House bill we passed in 2023 that became law, as of Jan. 1 this year, all health insurers in Pennsylvania (including Medicaid) are required to cover prostate cancer screenings – click here for recommendations on when and how often you should get screened.

 

Happy 100th, Gladys!

If you see Ms. Gladys Brown Smith around Sharon Hill, please wish her a happy 100th birthday!

 

Gladys graduated from Darby High School, class of 1943, and is an avid Philly sports fan. She loves spending time with her friends at Good Neighbor Senior Center in Sharon Hill and doing puzzles, reading the Bible, and playing word games. She survives her late husband and son, and treasures her time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

I joined Gladys, her friends and family for her birthday celebration this week, and among the stories I heard was that she used to fall asleep during her daily trolley commute to her job in Center City Philly. A working mom’s gotta grab whatever time she has to recover! It was an honor to meet Gladys and congratulate her on a century (and counting!) of a life well lived.

 

Commending Officer Howell

This week I joined several other elected officials to commend Officer Sara Howell, an 8-year veteran of the Ridley Township Police Department, for her act of bravery and lifesaving measures on the job last month.

 

On the morning of Dec. 18, Officer Howell responded to a collision between an SUV and a train on the CSX Railroad Crossing on Swarthmore Ave. Upon discovering the vehicle was on the tracks and engulfed in flames, Officer Howell could hear the passenger screaming for help after becoming stuck while trying to exit the smoke-filled vehicle. 

She was able to pry open the passenger door and remove the driver, who was injured and disoriented, and drag him down an embankment to safety where paramedics were waiting.

 

Due to Officer Howell’s fast and heroic actions, the driver survived and is expected to recover fully. I’m honored I got to thank her in person for placing herself in danger to rescue the driver and remaining calm under the intense pressure. We are lucky to have her looking out for our community!

 

Upcoming Events

Please note that you must reserve a time slot prior to the Expungement Clinic. Contact my office at (610) 534-1002 or RepDelloso@pahouse.net.

 

Please keep in mind that you only include HALF of your Social Security income when determining your eligibility for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program.

 

The deadline to apply for a rebate on what you paid in 2024 is June 30, 2025.

 

The income guidelines are:

 
 

FYI

Trying to stop smoking cigarettes or vaping?

Main Line Health System has released the winter schedule for its SmokeFREE Program, which is free and available online. Click here for the schedule. Each session of the program consists of six virtual workshops. There are still three sessions coming up that have not yet started.

 

Students in grades 1-6 invited to enter statewide Art Contest

Submissions are now open for state Dept. of Health’s 2025 Lyme Disease Student Art Contest. First through sixth grade students in Pennsylvania may enter by creating a short video or poster focusing on the theme: “Protect. Check. Remove.”

  

The annual contest helps students, scout troops, and community youth programs learn how to prevent Lyme disease by educating them about ticks, including where they live, how to prevent bites, and how to remove ticks that bite.

 

The deadline for entries is 11:59 PM, March 14, 2025. Contest information can be found on the Department of Health’s website.   

 

Pennsylvania has one of the highest annual counts of Lyme disease cases in the nation, which further emphasizes the importance of teaching children about tick awareness and prevention measures.

 

You may apply to LIHEAP or learn more at this link. We are happy to help you apply; please stop in my office or call us at (610) 534-1002.

 

Pennsylvania State Capitol

111 Irvis Office Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120

(717) 783-6437

District Office

605 E. Chester Pike
Ridley Park, PA 19078
(610) 534-1002