Photo credit: Decatur Park District website
In addition to being awarded $2.8 million from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources PARC Grant Program for a new senior center, The Decatur Park District announced that they will also partner with CHELP to provide a “One Stop Shop” for seniors.
The Decatur Park District has been awarded $2.8 million from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) PARC Grant Program. This grant from the IDNR will provide a newly constructed facility specifically designed for seniors. This will increase recreational opportunities, program offerings, and expand access for the social services that our Seniors so desperately need in the Decatur community.
“It’s exciting to see Decatur get support from the state, giving residents the recreational opportunities they deserve,” said State Senator Doris Turner of Springfield. “Decatur is making tremendous progress on providing recreation for the community, especially for our seniors. These revitalization efforts will have lasting effects on the community.”
“I am pleased to see this renovation come to fruition to give our seniors a new community center, where they can stay active, socialize and learn new hobbies,” said State Rep. Sue Scherer of Decatur. “Instead of struggling to make it to different locations, all of the services will be in one central location which is what our seniors deserve.”
Along with the announcement of the $2.8 million dollar grant, the Decatur Park District is excited to announce that once this new facility is constructed, we can further expand our “one stop shop” for seniors, by partnering with CHELP, the Community Home Environment Learning Project to provide additional social services to our seniors. CHELP provides Home Care Services (both state subsidized and private pay), Adult Protective Services, Senior Access to Care/Information and Referral Services as well as they facilitate the Dementia Friendly Decatur initiative.
Editor’s note: Founded in 1924, the Decatur Park District is celebrating 100 years of service to the community. The Park District is a unit of local government that is organized and incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois, which has the purpose of providing leisure services and facilities for the residents of Decatur.
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