State Senator Lindsey M. Williams, Your District 38
Update

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*Upcoming Events**

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*Get
the Support You've Earned: VFW Service Officer Appointments
Available*

Whether you have questions about your benefits or just
want a fresh review, take advantage of the Veterans of Foreign Wars
(VFW) Veterans Service Officer (VSO) appointments available at my Ross
and Harrison Township district offices. We have VSO appointments
available in both offices every month!

*Ross Township
Office*

5000 McKnight Road, Suite 405

Pittsburgh, PA
15237

1st Monday of each month from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

*Upcoming
Dates:*

-
Monday, October 6th

-
Monday, November
3rd

*Harrison Township Office*

1826 Union Ave.

Natrona
Heights, PA 15065

Last Wednesday of each month from 10:00 AM - 2:00
PM

*Upcoming Dates:*

-
Wednesday, October 29th

Contact us
at 412-364-0469 (Ross), 724-224-2131 (Harrison), or email us at
[email protected] [link 1] to book your one-on-one
session - appointments fill up quickly, so don't delay!

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*Springdale
Trunk or Treat and Costume Parade*

*Thursday, October 25, 2025,
Springdale Borough Parking Lot, 2-5pm*

Join Senator Williams at
Springdale Borough's Trunk or Treat on October 25th! Decorate your car
and pass out candy or just bring the kids to trick or treat and
parade. Parade starts at 1pm, trunk set-up starts at 1:30, and Trunk
or Treating begins at 2pm. Scan the QR code above for more information
and to register!

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*Save the Date for Our Senior Resource
Fair!*

*Saturday, October 30, 2025, Ross Municipal Building,
10am-12pm*

Mark your calendars! Rep. Emily Kinkead's and my Senior
Resource Fair is Thursday, October 30th from 10 am - 12 pm at the Ross
Community Center. Meet us, our staff and over 30 vendors with
resources and information!

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*Good
News**

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*Visit
to Harvest Valley Farms with PA Agriculture Secretary Redding*

Last
week I joined Secretary Russell Redding, the Pennsylvania Department
of Agriculture, Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, and members of the
Allegheny County House Delegation at Harvest Valley Farms in
Bakerstown to hear directly from our local farmers about how
innovation and technology are helping them tackle difficult
issues.

These small, local farms are the backbone of food security
in the region. I'm always eager to learn more about how we can support
their needs and ensure that all Pennsylvanians have healthy,
nutritious food every day.

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*Family
Resource Fair in Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar Neighborhood - Big
Success!*

We had an absolute blast at our 6th annual Family
Resource Fair at Paulson Recreation Center!

Thank you to our
hard-working interns Alex and Ella, all of our vendors who shared
resources with the Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar neighborhood, to Beanie
Paints LLC Pittsburgh Face Painter for the amazing face painting, and
to the Pittsburgh Fire Fighters for bringing their truck to let kids
experience spraying a fire hose and doing a coat
distribution!

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*New
Facility Proposed for MFPAA and a Community Healthcare Center in Pine
Township!*

Last Thursday I joined fellow legislators to learn more
about the partnership between McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance
Authority and AHN Wexford to train and recruit more EMTs, provide a
better space for our first responders, and increase the already
stellar care that both MFPAA and AHN Wexford provide local
residents!

EMS departments across the state are in urgent need of
upgrades, and I'm proud to support this opportunity to give MFPAA the
modern space and resources they need to continue saving lives in our
community.

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*Senator
Williams and Senator Costa Named PA Library Association Elected
Officials of the Year*

I was incredibly honored to be named Elected
Official of the Year by the Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA)
with my colleague Senator Jay Costa. The public libraries in Allegheny
County are incredible neighborhood spaces where everyone is welcome,
and our librarians work every day to bring the magic of the library to
more people.

Getting to support their community-building work is
truly one of the best parts of being a State Senator for me. I am
deeply grateful for the partnerships I have built with our libraries
and the Allegheny County Library Association, and to be recognized by
people whose work I respect so much. I look forward to continuing to
work with the ACLA and all of our libraries to get more books into the
hands of our kids because books--and libraries--change lives for the
better.

Read more here:
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*Legislative
Update**

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*Our
Work on Transit Continues*

Last week, the Pittsburgh Regional
Transit (PRT) Board voted to reverse proposed service cuts and
maintain current fare levels. But this is a temporary fix. It is not a
long-term, sustainable solution to our region's--or
Pennsylvania's--public transit problems.

I first want to thank
everyone who took the time to share your personal story about why
public transit matters. Whether you spent valuable time waiting to
testify at a PRT hearing, attended a rally, or contacted your
legislator, your voice made a difference in this fight. This vote was
only possible because of your advocacy.

Since I joined the PRT
Board earlier this year, we have been in crisis mode as we have worked
to stop PRT from entering a death spiral. Following today's vote, I am
looking forward to working strategically to build better public
transit for all, and for advocating for what my constituents say they
need.

That includes restoring services to parts of my Senate
District back to 2019 levels. Too much of my district has been cut off
from transit due to service cuts in previous years. It also includes
improving the user experience for all PRT passengers--creating safe,
accessible bus shelters and stops that meet the needs of all
riders.

I am also focused on increasing public participation in PRT
Board Meetings and our processes. This is the time for us to regroup
and build the case that transit matters for all Pennsylvanians. Our
work is not done, but I look forward to amplifying your voices here in
Allegheny County and in Harrisburg.

Finally, I look forward to
strengthening the relationships between PRT and our region's large
employers and their employees. Public transit is an incredible
economic driver, getting people to work every day. Our employers are a
critical ally in the fight to restore services, and I look forward to
engaging with them to bring Transit for All Pennsylvanians!

If you
were unable to attend last month's meeting, you can watch a replay of
it on PRT's YouTube page [link 4]. The next Board meetings will
be:

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Committee Meetings: Friday, October 16, 8:30 a.m.

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Full Board Meeting: Friday, October 24 at 9:30 a.m.

Meetings are
held in the Neal H. Holmes Board Room of the Heinz 57 Building, 345
Sixth Avenue, 5th floor. These meetings are open to the public, but
participants must register to speak by filling out the Board Meeting
Registration form [link 5]. An online participation option is
available for those wishing to speak; however, meetings are not live
streamed for the public.

You can read more about Friday's vote and
the state of public transit in PA here:

Public transit service cuts
reversed in Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania |
[link 6]thecentersquare.com
[link 7]

PRT board passes 'Band-Aid' budget to avoid transit rate
hikes, drastic service cuts |
[link 8]TribLIVE.com [link 9]

PRT
avoids service cuts with capital fund transfer [link 10]

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*News
You Can Use**

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*Take Action to Keep Your SNAP Benefits!*

The
Republican Federal Budget Bill that was signed into law by President
Trump on July 4, 2025 includes a new 20 hour per week work, volunteer,
or training requirement for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP). The new requirements began on September 1, 2025 and
will expand to more people on November 1, 2025 so SNAP recipients must
act quickly!

The changes to SNAP are deliberately designed to
discourage people from participating in the program. Unfortunately,
they are being implemented when the demand for food resources is at an
all time high- and the need is only increasing. The United Way of
Southwestern PA has already seen a 16% increase in calls to PA-211
relating to food assistance and a 27% increase in calls related to
SNAP this year.

We will be covering what people need to do to keep
their benefits, but to get an overview of all SNAP changes go to
Pennsylvania's new website at: dhs.pa.gov/work [link 12].

*Do I
Need to Take Action?*

Starting September 1, 2025, adults 18-54
years old must provide documentation that they work, volunteer, or
participate in an education or training program for 20 hours per week
to receive SNAP benefits unless: (1) they receive SSI or SSDI or (2)
have a child under 18 in the household who receives SNAP
benefits.

Starting November 1, 2025, this will expand to include
adults aged 18-64 years who are exempt only if they receive SSI or
SSDI, or have a child under 14 that receives SNAP.

*If
documentation is not submitted, people can only receive 3 months of
SNAP benefits over a 3-year period - meaning, benefits will run out in
December 2025. *Use the table below to help you decide if you need to
take action to keep your SNAP benefits:

*Do Not Need to Take
Action*

*Need To Take Action*

-
Children Under 18

-
All
other adults between 18-64

-
Adults over 64



-
Parents
with a child under 14 in a SNAP household



-
Adults receiving
SSI or SSDI



*What are My Next Steps?*

If you are in the
"Need to Take action" group, you must:

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Complete the PA DHS
Screening Form Checklist (mailed to you by PA DHS);

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Gather work
hour verification documents (or medical exemption) or talk to a
caseworker about volunteer/training opportunities;

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Return the
Screening Form and documentation to a local County Assistance Office
or upload them on the myCOMPASS PA app [link 13].

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*Note:
Starting October 2, 2025, all County Assistance Offices are closed
Thursday mornings until 11 am* in order to train staff on the new SNAP
documentation requirements.

*For a complete breakdown of these
steps from Allegheny County, including links and forms, we recommend
going to the **Connect Allegheny website* [link 14].

*Need Help?
Call:*

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Just Harvest at 412-431-8960 (option 3)

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Greater
Pittsburgh Community Food Bank at 833-822-7627

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County
Assistance Office State Helpline at 800-692-7462

Our office is also
here to help. Call us at 412-364-0469 (Ross) or 724-224-2131
(Harrison) for assistance!

If you need immediate food assistance,
call the United Way of Southwestern PA by dialing
2-1-1.

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*Virtual Webinar with Secretary Arkoosh to Discuss All
Things SNAP*

*Wednesday, October 8, 2025, 6pm*

If you still have
questions about changes to SNAP, you aren't alone. Tune in to
PASenate.com/SNAP [link 16] to watch a live webinar discussion with
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Val Arkoosh on
Wednesday, October 8th at 6pm to get answers to questions like
these:

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How did these requirements come to be?

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What do
SNAP requirements mean for recipients?

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How do I report work or
volunteering hours?

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Who is exempt from work requirements?

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Where do I go if I need help finding work or volunteer hours?

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How often do I need to report these hours?

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What happens if I
don't meet the hours or requirements?

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What do I do if my work
fluctuates weekly?

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What do I do if I have an emergency and need
food right away?

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How do I keep my contact information updated
so that I can ensure I am receiving updates and communications on my
account?

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What should I tell my friends and family who are
receiving SNAP?

Go to PASenate.com/SNAP [link 17] to watch live
next Wednesday!

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*Allegheny Go - 50% off PRT Fares!*

Did you know if
you receive SNAP, you qualify for 50% off of Pittsburgh Regional
Transit fares? To learn more and apply for the Allegheny Go program,
click here [link 19]!

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*Alert!
PA Tax Refund Scam Texts*

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue is
warning Pennsylvanians about a new phishing scam that involves
fraudulent text messages that impersonate Pennsylvania Department of
Revenue officials. These texts try to trick you into sharing sensitive
personal and financial information.They often include links to fake
websites and request banking details in order to process a
refund.

The Department of Revenue advises all Pennsylvania
taxpayers to verify the status of their refund only through official
channels. Taxpayers can check the status of their refunds online by
visiting the department's official online tax hub [link 20] or by
calling 1-888-PATAXES. Taxpayers will be prompted to provide their
Social Security number and requested refund amount to obtain the
current status.

The Department recommends the following to stay
safe:

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Do not click on links from unknown or suspicious
senders.

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Never share your Social Security number, bank account
details, or other personal information via text.

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Report
suspicious messages or calls to the Department of Revenue at
717-425-2495, Ext. 72267.

If you aren't sure if the text you
received is legitimate, you can contact the PA Department of Revenue
to confirm by visiting Verify Potentially Fraudulent Dept of Revenue
Contact [link 21].
[link 22]

You can also learn more about
identifying phishing texts and scams by visiting the Pennsylvania
Attorney General's website at: Identity Theft Phishing, Pharming and
Vishing - PA Office of Attorney General [link 23].

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*Free Dental, Vision, & Hearing Clinic*

*Friday &
Saturday, October 24-25, 2025, David L. Lawrence Convention Center,
Pittsburgh, 6am*

Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh [link 25] is offering
their annual FREE two-day dental, vision, and hearing clinic at the
David L. Lawrence Convention Center on Friday, October 24 and
Saturday, November 2nd.

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Doors open at 6am

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No
appointments or patient scheduling.

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Care is given on a first
come, first serve basis.

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No eligibility requirements - no
insurance needed, no payments.

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Veterans are prioritized.

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Adults and children 2 and up are welcome.

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Children must be
supervised by a parent or guardian at all times.

If you have any
questions regarding the event or would like to volunteer, visit:
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*PA
CareerLink Alle-Kiski Events*

Looking for a new job opportunity or
career track? Check out one of the upcoming events hosted by PA
CareerLink Alle-Kiski!

-
October 8, 2025, 10 am - 1 pm: Re:Build
Manufacturing will be in-person at the PA CareerLink(R) Alle-Kiski
office for a hiring event. Drop by to see what positions they have
available!

View Re:Build's available jobs at pacareerlink.pa.gov
[link 27].

-
November 6, 2025, 10 am - 1 pm: Job Fair at Lower
Burrell VFW.

To learn more, contact the PA CareerLink Alle-Kiski
office at 724-334-8600 (TTY: 724-334-8713).

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*Sharpsburg
VFW Post 709 Halloween Costume Party!*

*Saturday, October 11, 2025,
1017 Main St., Sharpsburg, 6pm*

Come to the Sharpsburg VFW Post
709's Halloween Costume Party Fundraiser to get your groove on with
Dancing Queen [link 28] and enter their contest for best costume.
Doors open at 6:00 PM!

To buy tickets, call 412-781-7771!

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As
always, please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have
by phone at 412-364-0469 [link 29] (Ross Office), 724-224-2131 [link
30] (Harrison Office) or by email at
[email protected] [link 31]. My staff will return
your call/email within 24 hours (Monday-Friday).

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Senator
Lindsey Williams


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Contact
Information:

Website:
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Office Location:
District
Office
5000 McKnight Road
Suite 405
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Phone:
412-364-0469
Fax: 412-364-0928
Monday ? Friday 9-5

Harrison
Office
1826 Union Avenue
Natrona Heights, PA 15065
Phone:
724-224-2131
Fax: 724-224-2145
Monday ? Thursday 9-5

Harrisburg
Office
366 Capitol Building
Senate Box 203038
Harrisburg, PA
17120-3038
Phone: 717-787-6538
Fax: 717-787-8625
By appointment
only


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