2020 was a year like no other. The COVID-19 pandemic swept across communities, creating a rippling effect that exposed the current political, economic and social gaps that impact older New Yorkers including access to affordable senior housing, food insecurity, the rise of social isolation due to the pandemic and inadequate funding for vital senior services. Yet despite the challenges, organizations and providers have worked tirelessly to make New York a better place to age and ensure older adults have the support they need to truly thrive in New York.
Here, we look back at some of our top moments from LiveOn NY and our community in 2020.
Beyond Bricks: Affordable Senior Housing Symposium
Council Member Cornegy Jr, Council Member Salamanca Jr, Public Advocate Williams, & Scott Short on a panel at the Beyond Bricks: Affordable Senior Housing Symposium
LiveOn NY hosted the Beyond Bricks: Affordable Senior Housing Symposium on February 25, the largest event in New York City to focus on both aging and housing. This event brought together housing developers, management companies, elected officials, community-based nonprofits, and other representatives from public, private, and governmental organizations within the housing and aging services industries.
LiveOn NY also released a new report, Beyond Bricks: Affordable Senior Housing with Services, that highlights the various types of affordable senior housing models throughout the city as well as targeted recommendations to ensure older adults can age in place with accessible and affordable senior housing with services.
LiveOn NY’s report, Beyond Bricks: Affordable Senior Housing with Services
LiveOn NY Hit the Frontlines Working to Provide Home Delivered Meals, Personal Care Kits and Other Key Benefits to Older New Yorkers in Need
LiveOn NY’s Benefits Outreach team, along with our member organizations were among the frontlines during the pandemic, providing critical support to older adults. The need for benefits and outreach skyrocketed with LiveOn NY’s team assisting over 2,300 adults with screening and enrollment assistance for key benefits including SNAP, the Rent Freeze Program, HEAP and other benefits as well as outreach to over 200,000 older New Yorkers to spread awareness about these supports.
When the city shut down went into effect, many older adults were unable to leave their homes or travel to grocery stores. Food security was on the rise in communities as more older adults were homebound. To meet the growing need for food, LiveOn NY, in partnership with the Project Isaiah and the World Central Kitchen, coordinated the delivery of 279,599 meals to older New Yorkers. In addition, our team organized and coordinated with community partners to provide 32,000 cold packs of food and 10,000 personal care kits to older adults in communities hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to the generous support from the NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund of the New York Community Trust.
Picture courtesy of our member and partner in the distribution of meals, Chinese-American Planning Council.
Shifting to a Virtual Space
Across New York, organizations and providers have shifted to virtual programming due to the pandemic, offering critical services through online platforms for older adults and caregivers. LiveOn NY launched the Senior Center Workshop Initiative, a series of virtual workshops on innovative approaches for aging services and senior center operation to identify the barriers organizations face and meet the growing needs of aging services.
We also launched our Boots on the Ground Workgroup, a bi-weekly Zoom meeting for all aging service professionals to hear from leading experts on relevant topics, share resources and ideas, practice self-care, and other activities.
LiveOn NY’s 25th Annual Virtual Aging Advocacy Day
Each year, hundreds of older adults and aging services professionals have taken to the steps of City Hall to demand their fair share of the budget. While we weren’t able to gather in-person for the 25th Annual Aging Advocacy Day, over 200 people including elected officials, aging services professionals, advocates, and older adults gathered virtually for a TeleRally to discuss the needs of the aging services network as well as highlight the work of providers and organizations that continue to serve older New Yorkers during these challenging times.
LiveOn NY hosted a virtual Aging Advocacy Day with a TeleRally on Zoom
Historic Advocacy Win: Bills Passed to Fight Age-Discrimination
Ageism, the discrimination against an individual based on their age, is a reality that impacts older New Yorkers every day, especially in the workplace. The New York City Council passed a historic package of bills, sponsored by Council Members Margaret Chin and Diana Ayala, to fight age discrimination in the workplace. LiveOn NY was proud to advocate in support of this legislation and work towards its enactment alongside partners at AARP New York, the Hunter Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging, and the New York State Alliance for Retired Americans.
Restoration of $466 million in Affordable Housing Funding
On October 23, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the city will restore $466 million in the 2021 fiscal year’s capital cut to advance New York City’s Housing Plan. This advocacy win was made possible through the #NoCapitalCuts Campaign led the New York Housing Conference. LiveOn NY and other stakeholders and member organizations also joined the campaign and signed on to the letter to ensure New Yorkers have access to affordable housing.
Looking Ahead
As we close a chapter in 2020, we want to take a moment to express our gratitude and appreciation for our LiveOn NY community and beyond, who continue to show up every day to support older adults through vital services and programs. As we look ahead into the new year, LiveOn NY will continue to support our members and older New Yorkers to create a better future to age.
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