Urbana Champaign County Senior Center closes, outreach program remains open

The Urbana Champaign County Senior Center, currently located at 701 S. Walnut St. in Urbana, has closed, except for the Outreach Program, as a precaution of the coronavirus. CONTRIBUTED

The Urbana Champaign County Senior Center, currently located at 701 S. Walnut St. in Urbana, has closed, except for the Outreach Program, as a precaution of the coronavirus. CONTRIBUTED

The Urbana Champaign County Senior Center has closed as a precaution in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

“The Urbana Champaign County Senior Centers’ highest priority is the safety of all of our members, volunteers, clients and staff,” said UCCSC executive director Stacy Barnhart. “It is for that reason that the UCCSC will remain closed until further notice.”

The center’s Outreach Program will remain open, but they are not taking any walk-ins.

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“We supply our seniors in need with food,” Barnhart said. “We’re kind of like their ‘grocery.’ They can come into the center and receive food for their families as well as standard HBA items.”

If you are in need, call the Outreach Department at 937-653-5352 to schedule an appointment.

The center will not be scheduling tax appointments, and all appointments that were scheduled have been canceled. The annual Palm Sunday Brunch scheduled for April 5 has also been canceled.

RELATED: Urbana Champaign County Senior Center seeking levy for new facility

The center will reassess the situation on a week to week basis. If you have any questions, call the center at 937-653-6088.

“We are continually being updated by our local health departments and others. We will relay pertinent information to our seniors if needed as the situation evolves,” Barnhart said. “We are here to help in any way we can. We are all in this together.”

The UCCSC has over 600 members, employs six people, and also uses volunteers.

The center is currently seeking a five-year, 0.5-mill property tax levy in the primary election that has now been moved to June 2 to pay for a new, bigger facility.

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