Action Alert: Two Quick Ways to Take Action to Support Senior Centers and Programs

ACTION ALERT - March 6, 2017

What is Happening

The city and state budgets are moving forward. As LiveOn NY reported, there are serious threats to Title XX funds in the state budget which would result in the closure of at least 65 senior centers, as well as $13 million in cuts and cost shifts to aging services. In the city budget, there is no new money for home care, despite citywide waitlists of 560 seniors, which grows monthly, and no new money for Case Management Services despite over 1,800 seniors on waitlists - a 30% increase from last year.

What You Can Do

Here are two easy ways to get involved.

CITY

  • Attend the Rally and City Council Committee on Aging Budget Hearing on Monday, March 13, 2017 at City Hall.  We need hundreds of seniors to fill up the Chambers for the hearing – you can register to testify at the hearing if you want. You can also attend the rally before the hearing.  Here’s a quick look at the schedule for March 13:
  • Arrive by 9:00am if you want to attend the rally on the steps of City Hall, so you can get through security and get to the steps of City Hall.
  • Arrive by 9:30/9:45 to attend the hearing to allow time to get through security and get seated inside City Hall.
  • Wear shirts and hats with the name of your senior center. 
  • Email Andrea at acianfrani@liveon-ny.org if you plan to attend.

STATE

  • Ask seniors/staff to call their Assembly Member and Senator this week ask for support in the budget for senior centers and programs. Call Albany or local office. The message is:
  • Don't let my senior center close.  Restore Title XX Funds. Thank you for your support of seniors.
  • No dejes que mi centro de ancianos cierre. Reponga los fondos del título XX. Gracias por su apoyo a ancianos.
  • 告訴他們 :  不要關閉我們的老人中心.  重新恢復 XX預算.  感謝您對耆老們的支持! 

How to Find your Legislators

STATE

  • Click here to find your New York State Assemblymember
  • Click here to find your New York State Senator

CITY

Media Update:  
Click here to read LiveOn NY Associate Executive Director of Public Policy Bobbie Sackman’s Op-Ed titled "Age-Friendly New York? Not With Cuomo's Budget Cuts" that appeared this morning in City & State New York Slant.

Contact Bobbie Sackman, Associate Executive Director of Public Policy at 212-398-6565x226 or bsackman@liveon-ny.org or Andrea Cianfrani, Dep. Director of Public Policy at 212-398-6565x233 or acianfrani@liveon-ny.org

Click here for a printable version of this Alert.