Senator Coons speaks on importance of heating assistance

At the Delmarva Power Low Income Energy Assistance Summit on Tuesday, Senator Coons spoke about the importance of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP. The event, held in Dover, was designed to help non-profits, social service agencies and government entities better understand the types of services available for low income households.  

With winter weather fast approaching, Chris discussed his commitment to protecting funding for LIHEAP, as well as investing in other energy efficiency programs, such as weatherization, that can keep heating costs down for Delaware families.

 “In Delaware alone, LIHEAP took a cut of 25 percent – literally leaving thousands of our seniors out in the cold,” Chris said.  “Last winter, a number of families who were struggling to heat their homes called my office. We were able to work with Catholic Charities to get them the support they needed, but it just underscores how vital these programs really are.”

Click here to learn more about applying for heating and cooling assistance. If you are in need of assistance to heat your home this winter, please call Chris’ constituent services representatives at 573-6345.

Senator Coons congratulates Dover AFB reserves on national award

This morning, Dover’s own 512th Airman and Family Readiness of the 512th Airlift Wing at Dover Air Force Base was honored with the 2011 Reserve Family Readiness Award for the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Every year, the award goes to the best unit in each reserve component that prepares airmen and their families for deployment, sustains them throughout, and supports them in their reintegration when they return. The award-winning 512th A&FR supports more than 1,800 airmen and their families connected to Dover Air Force Base, who are spread over 29 states.

The 512th A&FR’s director, Master Sergeant Laura Coseglia, accepted the award on behalf of her team from Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs David McGinnis at a ceremony held at the Pentagon. Senator Coons was presiding over the Senate at the time of the ceremony, but a member of his staff was present, as was wing commander Colonel Randal L. Bright.

Master Sgt. Coseglia’s team has earned best in the nation honors because of their community-based approach to support for airmen and their families. Rather than focus on a top-down, directive based approach to meeting the needs of men and women who serve, the 512th A&FR reaches out to our Delaware community, partnering with over 175 different military, non-profit, business, education, and veteran groups. In today’s austere environments, when needs seem to always outstrip resources, this broad community-based approach opens up creative possibilities for meeting needs.

Senator Coons believes that the community-based approach to serving needs in Delaware that the 512th A&FR does the best in the nation provides the flexibility and responsiveness that is too often lagging in support for our nation’s service members and veterans. He will join with Wilmington University on April 21 for Operation Success, a job fair and outreach event for service members, veterans, and their families, which is bolstered by the Delaware service members support community, including the 512th A&FR.

Dover job fair draws more than 1,100

DOVER — Senator Coons teamed up with Senator Tom Carper and U.S. Representative John Carney to host a job fair in Kent County at Delaware Technical and Community College. More than 1,100 jobseekers connected with 80 employers from across Delaware.

For Chris, it’s all about creating jobs.  “I look forward to hearing from folks who made connections at the job fair, turned them into interviews and, ultimately, job offers.  With 35,000 Delawareans still looking for work, we still have a lot more to do.  Jobs remain my top priority.”

The delegation was joined at the job fair by Governor Jack Markell and Dover Mayor Carleton Carey, Sr.

Chris hosted a similar job fair in Wilmington in April.  Working together, the Congressional delegation will hold another fair in Georgetown later this year.

Senator Coons marks groundbreaking of Dover Air Force Base chapel

DOVER — Today marked an important day in the history of the Dover Air Force Base, and Senator Coons was honored to be a part of it. Chris participated in the groundbreaking for the Dover Air Force Base Chapel.

The original chapel, constructed in 1956 on the same site, was demolished about a year ago. Over its lifetime it had no major renovations. In fact, the Command Chaplain rated it the second worst in the Command.

The new Chapel Center, being built with funds secured by Congress, will include 16,340 square feet of area devoted to providing ministry, counseling and religious education. It will include a 300-seat sanctuary to meet the needs of personnel and their dependents assigned to Dover Air Force Base. There will also be over 3,000 square feet devoted to a rest and relaxation area for families of dignified transfers of fallen service members.

In January, Chris attended the dignified transfer ceremony of three service members who lost their lives in Afghanistan. For Chris, the moving and difficult experience drove home the need for a place like the Chapel that is being built at Dover Air Force Base.

Our next job fair: May 31st in Dover

Senator Coons is teaming up with Senator Carper and Congressman Carney to host a second Delaware job fair — this one on May 31st on the Dover campus of Delaware Technical and Community College.

(We had originally said this job fair would be on June 1, but we had to change the date to make it work.)

We've begun recruiting employers to come to the job fair to meet with Delawareans looking for work, but this time we're widening the call in hopes that more employers reach out to us instead.

"There is still room at the job fair for more employers in the region looking to hire capable, energetic Delawareans," Senator Coons said in a statement announcing the fair. “Businesses that have openings and would like to participate in the job fair should contact my office to reserve their spot. We’re committed to doing everything we can to help Delawareans get back to work."

Chris hosted a job fair in Wilmington in April that drew more than 2,200 people looking for work. 

Businesses looking to hire at the job fair should contact Latisha Bracy in Senator Coons’ office at 302-573-6345. Delawareans interested in attending should call 302-573-6345 or email workshop@coons.senate.gov for more information or to pre-register.