Published: September 16, 2008 09:19 am      

United Way offers support for seniors

By KANDACE MCCOY

kandace.mccoy@register-news.com

Editor’s note: This is the second installment of a series featuring agencies which benefit from the United Way.

MT. VERNON — Among the 27 agencies that will benefit from the United Way of South Central Illinois 2009 Campaign, four of them concentrate their efforts in caring for and helping senior community members: Jefferson County Comprehensive Services Sunshine Center; Senior Service of Southern Illinois; Southern Illinois Radio Information Services; and Washington County Senior Services.

These non-profit organizations help seniors in assessing their needs, such as circuit breakers, providing meals, planning outings, legal help and grandparent support.

“Our program is very important,” said Mary Cramer, money management coordinator for the Senior Service of Southern Illinois. “It keeps [seniors] out of nursing homes and increases quality of life. People come in and fix meals, do laundry, clean house, take them shopping and help them if they’re having problems.”

Senior Service of Southern Illinois also provides assessments for seniors, providing home visits to see if those seniors can benefit from home services, such as needing their house cleaned or help with shopping. Cramer said through the Illinois Volunteer Money Management Program, seniors can receive help with paying bills, writing checks and balancing their accounts.

The organization also provides grandparents who are raising their grandchildren with support. “We have meetings once a month and do things for children,” Cramer explained. The United Way, she added, has helped the organization in this area, allowing it to plan swimming, bowling and Christmas parties for children that seniors are raising — “things they can do together.”

The Jefferson County Comprehensive Sunshine Center also provides circuit breaker services. The Sunshine Center, at 521 Perkins, serves seven other sites within the county: Rose Lane, Mt. Vernon; Dix; Belle Rive; Bonnie: Ina; Bluford; and Waltonville, and provide county home delivered meals and city mobile meals. Senior transportation, as well as health promotion and screenings are available for those who qualify.

This year the United Way’s campaign goal is $378,000.

For more information on these organizations or to donate to the United Way, you may contact Rhonda McCowen, executive director at 242-8000.