Resources

We seniors are fortunate to live in a city that offers so many services targeted to our needs, many of them free. And the web has given us access to an abundance of local and state as well as national and international resources. This section of the LAW website offers you three ways to become familiar with them.

The first table lists local and national organizations providing services to seniors and links to their websites. 

The second table, "Needs You May Have," lists some common needs of seniors with services and organizations that specifically address those needs. The table provides a link to each one that will bring you directly to the resource(s) that can help.

The third table provides a list of organizations offering travel opportunities to seniors, some limited to seniors, and some designed for a range of ages, including seniors.   

Remember to check the Bulletin Board section on the EBA Building Link for services shareholders are offering to other shareholders.

RENEWING AN ILLINOIS DRIVER’S LICENSE

According to a new Illinois law that will take effect in July 2026, seniors 87 and younger renewing a driver’s license will no longer need to take a driving test.

Passing a vision test at a Secretary of State DMV facility will still be required. Therefore, in-person renewal will be necessary, but on a walk-in basis.

Seniors seeking to renew a driver’s license with no changes of name or address will need only to present their current license for renewal. Note: This is for license renewal only. More documentation is needed to apply for a Real ID. See the Illinois Secretary of State’s website for details: go to ilsos.gov and select Real ID from the menu under Senior Services.

 There are four seniors-only walk-in DMV centers located in the Chicago area. All are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. No appointment is needed. The closest one to us is:

Levy Senior Center, 300 Dodge Ave., Evanston, IL 60202 

The others are: Bridgeview Community Center, 7900 S. Oketo Ave., Bridgeview, IL 60455; Westchester Village Hall, 10300 W. Roosevelt Rd., Westchester, IL 60154; and Calumet Township Community Center, 12633 S. Ashland Ave. Calumet Park, IL 60827.

There is also a senior-only call center at 800-252-8980 (press 2) for questions you may have.

HEART TO HEART

If you need something that helps you to move or prevents you from falling, or if you have medical equipment you no longer need, St. Gertrude’s Catholic Church is ready to help you. The mission of the Edgewater church’s Heart to Heart ministry is to help seniors who need minimal assistance, enabling them to remain independent in their home. Among other services, Heart to Heart offers a Medical Lending Closet. Available items include standard walkers, rollators, crutches, wheelchairs, shower chairs, tub transfer benches, and portable commodes. Please call the Lending Closet at 773-973-5464 to schedule an appointment, or to drop off donations. St. Gertrude’s is located at 1420 W. Granville. 

IN THE EVENT OF AN ICE RAID

Just in case you might wonder what you should do if you find yourself involved in a visit by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, here are some guidelines to protect yourself from being unnecessarily involved.

Although the chances of an ICE raid at EBA have been low, it is a possibility for which we are prepared.

EBAC’s attorney has advised that we are not required to allow anyone into non-public areas of the building without a warrant signed by a judge.  An administrative warrant, a general order not signed by a judge, does not authorize entry. NON-PUBLIC areas are any areas EBA does not allow access to anyone off the street, including residential floors, elevators, the garden, the pool, the Community Room, the Palm Court, the Library, laundry room, locker rooms, exercise rooms, break room, engineering and housekeeping offices, storage rooms, the Management Office, mailroom, package room, vacant arcade suites—anything locked, anything above the ground floor.

PUBLIC areas are the lobby, arcade, open-for-business arcade tenants, garage entrance and reception area, stairs to the rear lobby and rear lobby.

In the event ICE or a similar authority appears at EBA, the first point of contact is with Door Staff.  Door Staff should receive them as any other visitor to EBA and call the Manager or the President for instructions.

Staff has been trained in the following protocol:

• No member of Management or Staff is required or encouraged to engage in confrontation.

• No one should expose herself or himself to any harm or abuse.

• In the event of an appearance, Management and Staff must record it in an incident report.

• Likewise, Shareholders are encouraged to record any visit and report it to Management.

Signage

All private areas of the building are clearly marked to prevent entry by non EBAC residents, staff and commercial tenants. We have been advised by counsel not to add any signage explicitly prohibiting ICE entry, including on the outside of entrances to the building. Signs in apartment windows are not permitted.