RTICLE The Yorktown Senior Center may have to close its doors on Nov. 14, 2025, if additional funding isn’t secured, leaving many of the community’s older adults without a vital lifeline for meals, companionship and care.
For years, the center has served as a safe and nurturing environment for Yorktown’s older residents, providing a space that supports their social, physical and health needs. But the facility’s future now hangs in the balance as rising costs and increased demand have outpaced available funding.
In the past two years, the number of older adults living below the poverty level has risen in DeWitt County, with many turning to the Senior Center’s daily meal program for help. The program serves between 18 and 25 lunches each day, following federal nutrition standards for age-appropriate meals at just $3 per person.
Most participants live on modest fixed incomes in small homes or senior apartments. For many, the Senior Center is the only safe environment outside their homes — a place where they can gather daily for conversation, recreation and a warm meal.
Open five days a week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the center offers several hours of social activities, such as card games, dominoes and health checkups.
According to the American Journal of Gerontology, older adults are 89 percent more likely to be physically and mentally active when they have a safe place to gather and receive at least one nutritious meal daily. Without the Yorktown Senior Center, many local seniors could find themselves isolated, without safe opportunities to exercise, socialize or stay mentally engaged.
Inside the center, the warmth and laughter among participants demonstrate the positive impact it has on the health and happiness of Yorktown’s elders.
Supporters say donations to help keep the center open will do more than just provide money — they will ensure that local seniors continue to live healthy, connected and valued lives.
“These elders should never be considered excess baggage but valued members of the community as long as they live,” center advocates said.
