Columbia Senior Center

10/28/2024

08/10/2020

As you may know, today Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) launched the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program to support those who have been unable to pay their rent due to COVID-19.

Illinois residents who may benefit should apply for the program at https://era.ihda.org

Approved applicants will receive a one-time grant of $5,000, paid directly to their landlord to cover missed rent payments beginning in March 2020 and prepaid through December 2020 or until the $5,000 is exhausted. Renters in need of assistance can go online and apply now.

Applications will be accepted through August 21, but people are urged to apply as soon as possible.

Additionally, on August 24, applications will be accepted for a related program for mortgage assistance. It will support about 10,000 households with up to $15,000 paid directly to their mortgage lender to cover payments between March and December of this year. Applications will be accepted through September 4.

Thank you to the IHDA for leading this important work, and thank you in advance to those of you who are helping to build housing security for families across Illinois.

07/24/2020

Did you know you’re worth $20,000? On average, for every person counted in the , their state gets about $2,000 in federal funding every year for 10 years. That’s a lot of money! Make sure your state gets its fair share – complete your census today! Go to my2020census.gov.

04/07/2020

Please like our Page to get any updates.

We serve Illinois counties of Jackson, Monroe, Perry, and Randolph with utility bill assistance and weatherizing homes.

04/07/2020

Learn about the 2020 Census - how to respond, and why it matters. Shape your future. START HERE.

03/11/2020

Effective Immediately
Please help to spread the word.

The Illinois Department on Aging has given us notice to immediately cancel all gathering activities for older adults until further notice. The Department’s guidance is based on directives from IDPH and CDC. This would include senior center dining and group activities. There shall be no eating at the sites. Home delivered meals will still be provided. Carry out meals will also be available. This is a preventative measure to minimize exposure and risks for the safety of seniors. Please call the senior center at 281-7414 for questions, more information and to reserve a carry out meal.

02/07/2020

Sometimes a prime example is better than words — especially when it comes to explaining something to children. That’s exactly what Jaralee Metcalf, a teacher from Idaho, decided to do to show her pupils the importance of washing their hands properly. And now the whole world is following her exam...

01/24/2020

11/20/2019

Where in Perry, Randolph, and Monroe counties do fun, quality preschool programs exist to partner with parents; a child's first and foremost teacher; to enrich the educational and developmental foundation of 3-5 year old children? At Head Start, of course!!! Western Egyptian EOC Head Start is always accepting applications for enrollment into our centers in Chester, Coulterville, Evansville, Percy, Perry County (Tamaroa), Pinckneyville, Sparta and, for our partnerships, Little Britches in Duquoin and Children First in Columbia.

To complete an application: Visit the Head Start tab on www.weeoc.org, pick one up at your local Head Start center; call our Western Egyptian EOC Head Start office at 618/965-3313. Please call for further information.

**Acceptance is limited, and based on several prerequisites per National Head Start guidelines. Children must be age 3 at the program start, or may enter after they turn 3 years old anytime during the program year, as long as they meet all requirements for enrollment.