This budget must be a turning point in our city’s ageist tendencies to cut costs on the backs of the people who built New York, and instead actively invest in creating a better place to age for us all.

Rather than cuts, it’s time to invest in older New Yorkers and for the City to pay the human services workforce a just and equitable wage. It’s time for the City to enact a more equitable budget that holistically supports these professionals that work tirelessly to ensure that no older New Yorker falls through the cracks. 

Through our network, we’ve seen the importance of transportation as a top concern for older New Yorkers and one’s ability to access reliable and safe transit. And yet, we know that for many older adults who live in transit deserts getting to doctors’ appointments, going grocery shopping or taking advantage of the City’s resources including Older Adult Centers is a constant challenge.

It’s time for the City to address elder parole as an aging issue with an older adult population re-entering into community, looking to move forward in their lives. At LiveOn NY, we believe no one is disposable, nor should anyone be defined by the worst thing they’ve done. Further, we believe in redemption and transformation. We believe in families, communities, and collective care.