SHOREWOOD – To provide residents with a secure option for shredding documents containing personal information, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel hosting two events in September to offer free, safe discarding services.

“Securely discarding vulnerable documents is a strong effort to protect yourself and your family from identity fraud,” said Cappel (D-Shorewood). “Many of us have piles of old, unnecessary documents cluttering our homes, and I encourage families to take advantage of this free community event to safely dispose unwanted papers containing personal information.”

Cappel is hosting two free shred events during the month of September.  The first, in partnership with Representative Natalie Manley, will be held on Thursday, Sept. 8 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Grand Haven Life, located at 1520 Grand Haven Rd. in Romeoville.

The second, in partnership with Senator Eric Mattson and Representatives Dagmara Avelar and Larry Walsh, Jr. will be held on Friday, Sept 30 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Mattson's constituent services office, 20660 Canton Farm Rd. Unit D, Crest Hill.

“When it comes to protecting yourself against fraud and identity theft, you can never be too careful,” said Mattson (D-Joliet). “Documents with personal information like your address, banking information or social security number should be securely shredded to keep them safe from prying eyes.”

Examples of documents with personally identifiable information that should be safely discarded include bank statement, outdated medical records, tax returns, utility bills, junk mail, credit card applications and receipts. Residents are encouraged to attend and bring no more than two boxes of documents. No electronics will be accepted.

People with questions about either event can contact Cappel’s office at 815-267-6119.