(Peru)-- The Peru State College Optimist Club partnered with Southeast Nebraska Community Action Partnership, to collect personal care items on campus for their February project.

Donation boxes were in every building on campus. Students, faculty and staff were encouraged to donate to their outreach project. The Optimist Club at Peru State is just completing its first year on campus.

SENCA is a private, non-profit Community Action Agency that utilizes a variety of programs and services to improve the lives of economically disadvantaged individuals and families throughout southeast Nebraska. With a focus on self-sufficiency, SENCA utilizes a team of more than 50 trained staff to provide local resources that help improve lives and strengthen southeast Nebraska communities.

SENCA programs and services help with budgeting/money management, reducing food insecurity, avoiding eviction/homelessness, keeping the lights/utilities on, attaining, and maintaining safe affordable housing, lowering utility costs while improving the overall health and safety of a home, and educating individuals with skills needed to be competitive for living wage jobs in their community.

SENCA also provides other in-house programs such as Head Start, Financial Literacy, and Court Appointed Special Advocates. SENCA has been serving residents and communities throughout southeast Nebraska for 57 years with the ongoing mission of: “Investing in our neighbors through education and partnerships to improve lives and build strong communities in southeast Nebraska.

Photo attached: Back row, left to right: Peru State College Professor, Dr. Robert Ingram, Brett Soderlund (Danbury, NE), Ivan Wineglass, Optimist International, Inc. member and Peru State College Alum.

First row, left to right: Cora DeBoer (Fairbury, NE), Jerica German (Cortland, NE), Danyel Lewis (SENCA Community Outreach specialist at Southeast Nebraska Community Action in Auburn, NE, Krista Menninga (Pawnee City, NE), Lani Fullerton (Lincoln, NE)