Openly gay Illinois state Sen. Mike Simmons has received the 2023 U.S. Senator Paul Simon Public Service Award from the Illinois Hunger Coalition.
Simmons was honored at high school alma mater, St. Ignatius College Prep, according to a newsletter from his office.
"It was special to be presented the award by my colleague, State Senator David Koehler, a champion in his own right," Simmons stated in the newsletter. "This award represents my commitment to fighting for the needs of low-income people and those who don't come from wealth or privilege."
Last month, Simmons also received the "From the Heart" award from Tapestry 360 Health at that organization's gala. According to Simmons, "Tapestry 360 provides affordable, accessible health care through 16 federally qualified health care centers throughout the northside and suburbs, serving more than 27,000 people.
"As the first person of color to represent the far north side of Chicago in the Illinois Senate, I will keep on fighting to ensure my constituents can access affordable, comprehensive, high-quality [healthcare]."
Andrew Davis