Mayor Benjamin named the recipient of the 2016 Deborah Boward Leadership Award
February 21, 2017
Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin has been name the recipient of the 2016 Deborah Boward Leadership award.
“It is an honor to receive this award from Senior Resources,” said Mayor Benjamin. “Our senior neighbors add incredible value to our community in their leadership and service; it is up to us to ensure their basic needs are met. I appreciate all Senior Resources does for our elderly community.”
In 2016, Mayor Benjamin and the City of Columbia presented Senior Resources a check for $135,000 and secured a partnership with Walmart to serve 1,340 hot meals, 340 holiday food boxes, 450 bags of produce and 1,900 shelf stable meals to 1,700 seniors in the city.
In addition, Mayor Benjamin seen first-hand the needs of Columbia’s elderly residents by delivering Meals on Wheels, visiting Wellness Centers, meeting with Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions, and helping to deliver holiday food boxes. Mayor Benjamin was able to share that first-hand knowledge with City Council members and lead them to a decision to increase funding to the agency ten times above what the city had provided the year before.
About Senior Resources, Inc.
Senior Resources is a non-profit organization that coordinates services, provides resources and encourages the personal choices that allow Columbia’s senior citizens to remain independent. All activities, services and programs of the agency are geared toward promoting independent living, with the goal of helping seniors remain in their homes as long as possible through the support of staff and volunteers, and delaying or preventing institutionalization.
Since 1967, Senior Resources has served Columbia’s frail and elderly residents in three areas:
1) In-home services, including Meals on Wheels, home care, respite care, senior companion services, and case management;
2) Community-based services, including congregate meals, wellness centers, transportation, and physical fitness;
3) Volunteer services, including the Senior Companion program, Foster Grandparent program, and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program.
With local, state and federal government funding, as well as contributions from United Way, personal donations and fundraising activities, Senior Resources offers a variety of programs so that our clients can select the assistance they need to maintain a healthy and independent lifestyle.
