Chicago City Wire

The Chicago Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) is organizing a "Day of Action" event on May 28 to support federal funding for senior services. This event marks the 60th anniversary of the Older Americans Act and coincides with Older Americans Month. The DFSS Senior Services Division, which functions as the Area Agency on Aging for Chicago, will join 12 other agencies across Illinois in this initiative.

Mayor Brandon Johnson emphasized the importance of supporting seniors: “Our seniors are the pillars of our communities in Chicago. We need to support our seniors and continue to call on Congress to make sure that they continue to receive the critical services that they rely upon.”

The event will be held at the Southeast (Atlas) Regional Senior Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring remarks from Mayor Johnson, who will declare May 28 as Older Americans Day in Chicago. A Call to Action forum will facilitate discussions among elected officials, seniors, and community-based agencies. DFSS leadership and senior citizens benefiting from services funded by the Older Americans Act will speak at the event.

DFSS Acting Commissioner Maura McCauley stated, “The ‘Day of Action’ event will bring a lot of joy and celebration for our seniors,” adding that it underscores the responsibility shared with Congress to protect essential services for seniors. She stressed preserving federal funding as vital for ensuring health, safety, and well-being.

Chicago receives $14.9 million annually through federal funding directed by the Older Americans Act, comprising 37% of its Senior Services budget. This funding supports home-delivered meals, congregate dining, senior centers, caregiver support programs, and more—benefiting over 100,000 older adults each year.

McCauley highlighted how federal funding impacts senior programming: “We hope this event will help increase awareness of the great impact of federal funding on our senior programming.” She noted its role in preventing premature residencies in nursing homes and enabling older adults to live independently with dignity.