September is SENIOR CENTER MONTH!
Tuesday September 9th
Peoria City Council Meeting
Proclaimed September as Senior Center Month
The National Council on Aging proclaims September as Senior Center Month and so do we in Peoria!
Over 20 participants and Board Members from Graceland Center for Purposeful Aging attended the Peoria City Council meeting in which September was proclaimed as Senior Center month. Peoria is the 8th largest city in Illinois and the only one in the top 20 which does not have a designated wellness center for Peoria. Through Graceland Center’s efforts, we are working to make a senior center in Peoria a reality!
WHEREAS, National Senior Center Month is celebrated each September by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and the National Institute of Senior Centers (NISC) to highlight the value of our nation's senior centers in the lives of older adults; and
WHEREAS, the Older Adult Act of 1965, along with the laws creating Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, recommended that all communities have a designated center that focuses on the well-being of retired persons; and
WHEREAS, the research-based outcomes of senior center participants demonstrate that older adults who participate in senior center programs can learn to manage and delay the onset of chronic diseases, and experience measurable improvements in their physical, social, spiritual, emotional, mental, and economic well-being; and
WHEREAS, the NISC’s theme for this month is “Powering Possibilities: Flip the Script,” encouraging us to challenge outdated stereotypes about aging and recognize the contributions that older adults make to their communities through their financial impact, work experience, talent, and guidance; and
WHEREAS, Graceland Center for Purposeful Aging initial programming in Peoria has grown in attendance in its first grant year, averaging 40-50 participants from Peoria’s robust aging population at weekly events and 20 participants in satellite events; and
WHEREAS, Graceland Center for Purposeful Aging will continue weekly programming and fundraising, building towards creating a community-based senior center for Peoria residents;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Rita Ali, Mayor of the City of Peoria, Illinois, do hereby acknowledge September as
NATIONAL SENIOR CENTER MONTH
In Peoria, Illinois.
Dated this 9th day of September 2025 A.D.
Please join us in this effort to make a senior center in Peoria a reality! A 5 day a week center, thriving with various programs designed for different needs and interests, where all are welcomed.
