Jeffrey L. Junkas (R-Tinley Park), Republican candidate for State Representative in the 37th District, was joined Wednesday night by WLS-AM political commentator Dan Proft and dozens of supporters to provide military families school supplies via a donation to Operation Homefront.
“I am grateful for the generosity of my event sponsors and supporters that helped make this donation to benefit school children of military families possible,” said Jeffrey Junkas, Republican candidate for State Representative, 37th District. “As I did with my fundraiser last year that helped Toys for Tots, I continue my commitment to having a charitable component to my campaign fundraising.”
The Junkas campaign partnered with First Class School Supplies to secure 113 backpacks loaded with school supplies that were donated to Operation Homefront Illinois. The donation was presented at Junkas’ fundraiser last night which featured Dan Proft, political commentator on WLS-AM 890 and former Republican candidate for governor who also Chapter President of Operation Homefront-Illinois, a non-profit that serves active duty IL military families with a spouse overseas and wounded warriors who have returned home.
“Operation Homefront-Illinois is a non-partisan non-profit. We do not get involved in political campaigns but we do welcome the support of all concerned Illinois residents who desire to assist the families of our men and women in the armed forces,” said Proft. “With Memorial Day weekend upon us, Operation Homefront-Illinois is honored to receive the support Jeff Junkas, his family, and his friends have given in the form of their generous contributions for our August back-to-school ‘Backpack Brigade’ event. We are thankful for the commitment Jeff Junkas and First Class School Supplies have made to provide for those who put themselves on the line to protect our precious, God-given freedoms.”
Junkas, 36, is a first-time candidate for office who won a contested primary over a “plant” candidate with nearly 60 percent of the vote to become the first challenger to the district’s 13-year incumbent in nearly a decade. His grassroots campaign has focused on job creation, ending wasteful government spending and bringing taxpayer-focused common sense and accountability to Springfield.
Junkas is currently president of his own communications consulting firm, JLJ PR Inc. He received a BA in political science and speech communications from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He resides in Tinley Park with his wife Michelle and their two young children.