We’re proud to testify to the New York City Council to ensure that the strengths, as well as the needs, of older adults are consistently heard and prioritized by New York’s elected officials. Below are highlights from three recent hearings that LiveOn NY provided testimony at, as well as testified to virtually.
To learn more about upcoming New York City Council hearings: click here. To register to testify: click here. To watch live and past hearings: view here!
Today, November 25, 2020, LiveOn NY will be testifying to the New York City Council Committee on Contracts on “City's Indirect Cost Rate Funding Initiative During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”
Here’s an excerpt from our testimony:
There’s no other way to put it, than that New York City’s human services providers are tired; tired of operating as a partner in good faith with the City, only to receive funding below what is needed to execute each contract for critical services and that is less than these providers truly deserve.
Further, providers are tired of being promised funding, like through the ICR initiative, that never comes to fruition. For aging service providers, this is the third unfulfilled promise from this Administration: Senior Centers were also promised $10 million through the City’s Model Budget process for much needed raises for staff, that was inevitably reneged without a word, and were promised $5 million for Senior Center kitchen staff, that also went unfulfilled.
These promises, starting with the Indirect Cost Rate initiative, must be redressed in full.
On October 30, 2020, LiveOn NY testified to the New York City Council Committee on Aging on “the future of senior Home-Delivered Meals.”
Here’s an excerpt from our testimony:
Beyond the funding needs for new contracts, it’s important to note the significant uptick in demand for meals that has been experienced during COVID-19. Programs initially reported increases of 20-30% since the start of March for [home-delivered meals] clients, and those numbers continued to grow as more older adults expressed need for food and social support, with some programs experiencing increases of approximately 50%.
On October 13, 2020, LiveOn NY testified to the New York City Council Committee on Technology on “broadband and the digital divide.”
Here’s an excerpt from our testimony:
Today, many seniors can’t afford to purchase technology such as tablets or computers, and even if the devices are given to them, it is difficult or impossible to afford monthly internet access.
LiveOn NY and our members have seen the ways that the digital divide and lack of access to technology limits the ability for older adults to remain engaged and connected in our communities. For example, lack of technology access limits one’s ability to connect to virtual programming and the classes offered by New York’s community-based organizations. Further, inability to afford internet access means missing out on real time information, such as best practices in regards to COVID, how to access food during this time, online job opportunities, and even the ongoing political discourse that now often happens through the web.
It is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has both exacerbated the digital divide and brought increased awareness to its existence. Moreover, the pandemic has highlighted the disastrous effects of not combatting its prevalence. Therefore, LiveOn NY is proud to offer recommendations on how, whether directly through the City or by advocating on the state and federal levels, we can combat the digital divide.
For questions regarding any of the above testimony, or press inquiries, please contact LiveOn NY’s Director of Public Policy, Katelyn Andrews, at kandrews@liveon-ny.org