Centerstone to Host Community Health and Resource Fair
July 12, 2025
Original coverage in Riverbender by Sydney Sinks.
It’s a “one-stop shop” at the upcoming “Healthy Communities: Community Health and Resource Fair.”
From 1–4 p.m. on Saturday, July 19, 2025, the community can stop by the YWCA in Alton to learn about a variety of resources across Madison County, from legal aid to mental health support to vision screenings. The event is sponsored by Centerstone and Birth to Five Illinois: Region 41.
“This community is so amazing and kind of works together as a team,” said Jennifer Schulz with Centerstone. “Even though we’re a mental health and substance use treatment center, we’re also trying to help by bringing all of these resources together and just working together as one big resource for the community.”
Schulz noted that it can be “ridiculously difficult” to find the time, transportation and childcare needed to visit the doctor or meet with local resources. She hopes the fair can serve as a “one-stop shop” for community members to get the care and support they need.
OSF St. Anthony’s Health Center will be onsite with their OnCall Connect Van to provide basic health screenings. Alton Memorial Hospital will have several clinicians available, including therapists and a lactation specialist, to talk through their work and offer support. The Department of Children and Family Services will offer services, as will the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Southwestern Illinois.
Lewis and Clark Community College will have a booth with information about their programs. Additional resources like Land of Lincoln Legal Aid and First MidAmerica Credit Union will be available, as well, in addition to many more. Kids can enjoy the YWCA's playground and free snow cones.
Schulz is especially excited to welcome representatives who can help people fill out applications for SNAP and Medicaid. She noted these applications can be overwhelming, and someone will be there to talk you through the process.
“I know that filling out applications for things like Medicaid and SNAP and even Lewis and Clark, like education, that application process can be so daunting and confusing,” she said. “There will be people out there that can help people walk through that application process for things like that and just be a resource for questions. Sometimes it’s not always easy to get somebody on the phone, so if they have questions about any kind of applications like that, we’ll have somebody there on hand to help them out.”
Schulz added that Centerstone cares about offering these resources to the community because they want to see the community thrive. As a national organization that treats mental health and substance use disorders, Centerstone is proud to have a location in Alton.
“When I started this, I had no idea how little people really knew about Centerstone or even that they existed,” Schulz said. “I think a lot of people knew it as that big building uptown, but they had no idea what they offered. So being able to get out in the community and bring our resources to others, especially on a Saturday when they’re not at work and they actually have the time, is super important.”
For more information about the “Healthy Communities: Community Health and Resource Fair,” click here or visit Centerstone’s official website at Centerstone.org. Schulz hopes to welcome many people to the event on July 19 at the YWCA.
“We’re really excited. It's kind of a little bit of everything. So hopefully, if somebody’s coming out to get their screenings, like blood pressure or hearing or vision, they can also knock some things off the list that they didn’t even think that they were going to be able to that day,” Schulz added. “It’s not just mental health or it’s not just substance use. It runs the gamut. You can absolutely get help with anything at an event like this.”