Hello, my name is Leo W. and I am currently an 8^th Grader at Daniel Wright Junior High School. Next year, I anticipate to attend the Stevenson High School in Illinois.  

I am the Founder & President of the Illinois chapter of ProProBono. I joined this worldwide community service as one of its global cofounders because I felt that its global mission of helping bridge the information access gap for local residents who are not as facile with today’s technology, community by community for its >180 cofounders from over 100 cities and more than 25 countries on 6 continents.  I also love how the Movement allows its cofounders to adapt their informational webpages for their communities the way they see fit.  I will update my webpage for Illinois from time to time, so please check this site out.

My favorite subjects at school are STEM subjects.  In my spare time, I love to participate in forensics activities, including World School and Public Forum debate, speech, Model UN, Model Congress and Mock Trial. I have won my share of debate competitions.  I also love to play soccer and the piano.

Social Security

· Social Security Administration: Helps people from the greater Chicago region with jobs, wages, and information on employment and social security. Social Security

· SSA Offices in Illinois: Help apply for benefits, manage social security account, and review your information (e.g., review your earnings and estimate retirement benefits). SSA Offices

· Illinois Legal Aid: Helps people applying for Social Security, retirement benefits (for elderly over 61 years and 9 months). Connects with SSI for elderly people over 65 years in Illinois. Illinois Legal Aid

· Illinois Department of Human Services: Provides cash and medical benefits to people who qualify (retired, disabled, their dependents, and to survivors of deceased workers). Illinois Department of Human Services

Unemployment Insurance / Employment Benefits

· Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES): Employs and has important information on appeals, as well as offering unemployment benefits. IDES

· Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL): Protects worker wages, welfare and working conditions by enforcing State labor and employment laws. Illinois Department of Labor

Disability, Short-Term / Long-Term, Workplace Injuries

· Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC): Helps workers log compensation fraud, self insurance, medical insurance and employer insurance. IWCC

· Injured Workers’ Benefit Fund: Pays workers' compensation benefits to injured employees whose uninsured employers failed to pay.  IWCC

Shelters, Domestic Violence / Battered Women Shelters, Homelessness

· Illinois Department of Human Services: Helps people receiving abuse to leave that household and  gain benefits while doing so, As well as keeping them confidential. Illinois Department of Human Services

· HUD: Information and resources for homeless people, as well as helping them find homes. HUD

· Illinois DCFS: Includes homeless services, transitional housing, local Continuum of Care providers. Illinois DCFS

· City of Chicago: Builds homeless shelters and people in need of shelter. City of Chicago :: Homeless Shelters

· SWAN, Inc.: Builds temporary shelter for homelessness and domestic abuse SWAN

Disaster / Emergency Shelters / Disaster Referrals

· FEMA: FEMA works together with community leaders and organizations to provide on-the-ground emergency management. FEMA

· State emergency management agencies: Help mitigate the cost and casualties of natural disasters and help with public assistance. IEMA

Division of Motor Vehicles / Driver & Vehicle Services (DMV)

· Illinois Secretary of State: Helps people renew, replace and get a drivers license and tests new drivers. ISOS also helps people get license plates. Illinois Secretary of State

· People can receive DMV appointments and locations, via Illinois Secretary of State

Public & Private Schools, School Rankings (less important)

· Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE): Official state site for public education, school accountability, and report cards. This site also includes nutrition, special education, and equality ISBE

· Rankings and reviews of schools around the country : GreatSchools.org