Area residents can now rest easy. For awhile, many were worried that the Eastern Orleans County Community Center would close due to cutbacks in federal aid. In December, the village received word that the center’s funding will continue and may even get a slight boost thanks to a new $1 trillion federal budget. The center has been in the Public Square for more than 40 years, serving as an emergency food and clothing pantry for eastern Orleans residents. In addition, the center provides lunches from Monday through Friday, and offers games, social activities and computer access. More recently, the center opened an after-school youth center. While the new federal budget didn’t include funding for that program, the agency plans to continue the program while looking for other funding sources.
“We human beings all want to know that we’re acceptable, that somehow our being alive makes a difference in the lives of others.”
The World According to Mister Rogers, by Fred Rogers
