H.O.M.E.’s Community Advisory Council Hosts 4th Senior Summit

On March 20th, H.O.M.E.'s Community Advisory Council hosted its fourth “Let’s Kick It!” senior summit at our Nathalie Salmon House. For the first time, the summit included a resource fair; potential vendors expressed so much interest in being included that the Community Advisory had to turn away some organizations due to space.

In attendance were local seniors, Alderwoman Maria Hadden and the 49th ward (Rogers Park), representatives from Illinois State Senator Kelly Cassidy’s office, the City of Chicago’s Area Agency on Aging, the Illinois Anti-Foreclosure Coalition, and more. The Community Advisory Council led a panel and Q&A session to provide elected officials with issues of concern for low-income seniors, share resources for senior attendees, and provide updates on the Council’s advocacy activities at the city level, including advocacy around a Senior Bill of Rights and reestablishing the Chicago Department on Aging. Community Advisory Council members and attendees also asked questions related to 24-hour emergency care centers, the senior chore program, and finding a use for abandoned buildings around the city.

The senior summit was a wonderful event that highlighted the importance of empowering seniors to advocate for their communities. Many of the attendees asked how they could get involved in advocating for senior rights. H.O.M.E. and the Community Advisory Council are grateful to all who attended and are helping us empower low-incomes seniors in the city.

The time to keep the momentum going is now, and the Community Advisory Council is working to ensure that elected officials show up in support of seniors and hear their concerns. The Community Advisory Council is already mobilizing to set up meetings with alderpersons across the city to talk about key issues impacting seniors.

The Community Advisory Council’s vision is that each of the 50 Ward offices have personnel devoted to the needs of seniors and people with disabilities. Thank you to Alderwoman Maria Hadden for attending the senior summit, listening, declaring her support for the Senior Bill of Rights, and providing attendees with helpful information. The Community Advisory Council welcomes the opportunity from every Ward office to visit and share our concerns and aspirations, and we hope other Alders will join us for our next “Let’s Kick It!” gathering.