LiveOn NY's End of Year Recap

LiveOn NY's End of Year Recap

As 2022 comes to a close, we reflect on all that we have accomplished to support older adults and professionals in New York. Nonetheless, we know this work wouldn’t be possible without our LiveOn NY network—our member organizations, government partners, stakeholders, advocates and older adults — that have shown up everyday to provide critical services and support to older New Yorkers. We thank each and everyone of you that showed up to ensure all older adults regardless of their background can age in community. Most notably, we: 

Built political will to reframe aging

• Hosted two Reframing Aging virtual trainings with over 200 participants 

• Launched an Online Reframing Aging Resource Center 

• Completed over 230 engagements including public speaking presentations, testifying at hearings, community events, op-eds, and more

• Hosted a virtual Aging Services Briefing for staff of Council Members' offices to provide insight into the challenges faced by older adults, direct service providers, and organizations, particularly during the pandemic, and how we hope to build a better future for all New Yorkers.

• Hosted our 27th Annual Advocacy Day in-person with roughly 200 older adults and aging service professionals joined LiveOn NY on the steps of City Hall to demand #EquityforAging and #JustPay in the budget. During this we were proud to have remarks given by 8 New York City Council Members including Aging Chair, Council Member Crystal Hudson, 3 professionals from our member organizations, and 1 older adult participant. 

• LiveOn NY was a proud supporter of the Just Pay campaign, led by the Human Services Council, which resulted in a $60 million human services workforce investment.

• LiveOn NY was proud to support the Fair Pay for Home Care campaign, led by the Caring Majority, which resulted in a $3 hourly raise for home care workers over the next two years. 

Supported the nonprofit workforce and aging service infrastructure 

• Hosted our 32nd Annual Conference on Aging and Sponsor Expo, which we held virtually for the second time, thereby providing critical information, education and professional networking opportunities to 567 attendees—a record.

• Launched a new Emotional Wellness Training Series in partnership with experts in the field such as SPOP, Compassion It, and the NY Peace Institute to support our members through some of the most challenging issues including burnout and mental health issues. 

• Held our in-person Membership meeting sharing updates for the coming year as well as heard updates on the human services sector from Michelle Jackson, Executive Director at the Human Services Council. In addition, we received remarks from Aging Chair, New York State Senator Rachel May, Chair of the Committee on Aging and Aging Chair, Assembly Member Ron Kim and Council Member Crystal Hudson. We were also joined by guest speaker Dr. Wenimo Okoya, Founder & Executive Director of The Healing Schools Project, who taught us about creating restorative spaces.

• Participated in the first-ever citywide participatory budgeting process, in partnership with the Civic Engagement Commission, to hear from the older adults on issues impacting their community and collect ideas on how New York City should spend $5 million in public funding.

• Facilitated and managed continuous committees, taskforces and gatherings for over 150 nonprofit organizations throughout the State of New York to disseminate critical information and coordinate response efforts, as well as provided self care and mental health-related support to nonprofit professionals responding to the COVID emergency.

Provided one-on-one assistance to older New Yorkers to help them make ends meet

• LiveOn NY's Benefits Outreach Program provided benefits screening and assistance to nearly 2,600 older adults in the last 12 months. 

LiveOn NY is proud of all we’ve accomplished in 2022, and even more proud to advocate for this incredible sector. We look forward to continuing to work together to make New York a better, more equitable place to age.

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Winter/Spring Training Schedule Announced

LiveOn NY is pleased to announce our Winter/Spring Training Schedule.  We are offering eight great trainings on Fiscal matters- budgets, cost allocation, etc., a reboot of our New Directors training, certifications in Evidence Based Falls Prevention and Mental Health First Aid for Older Adults as well as a special event on Dementia.  Two trainings will provide the opportunity for LMSWs and LCSWs to receive Contact Hours for Continuing Education. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER

ALERT: Off the Fiscal Cliff Campaign

LiveOn NY is starting a new Campaign - OFF THE FISCAL CLIFF - and we need your help today. Here are the details:

• What we are advocating for: 1) Continued outreach efforts to spread awareness about the NY Rent Freeze Program AND 2) A policy change within the NY Rent Freeze Program so that rental costs are capped at 1/3 of a senior's income and for those already enrolled - a rollback to the 1/3 level.

• Purpose: LiveOn NY works closely with key partners including the NYC Department of Finance, Department for the Aging & Human Resource Administration to make sure each eligible older person is aware of the NY Rent Freeze Program. The public-private partnerships that are addressing under-enrollment in the program are a critical way to spread the awareness. We want to ensure these efforts continue and expand outreach, as we know that seniors are overburdened in housing costs. Often paying more than 50% of their income on rent, whether they are enrolled in NY Rent Freeze (SCRIE/DRIE) or not. Because the Rent Freeze Program is one of the key tools to preserve affordable seniors housing AND allows older adults' to remain at home as they age - we must ensure that NYC improve its policies to help seniors off the fiscal cliff.

• Who we are targeting: New York City and State Elected Officials, Policymakers and other key stakeholders

What you can do!

SIGN ON TO THE CAMPAIGN TODAY (Click here)

FORWARD THE SIGN-ON LINK TO YOUR CONTACTS

SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA (info below)

More Facts about the issue:

• 200,000 older New Yorkers are on waiting lists for affordable senior housing, for an average of 7 years
• 4 out of 10 seniors report not knowing about NY Rent Freeze
• Too many seniors find out about their eligibility during an affordability crisis
• Almost 60% of seniors who are enrolled in SCRIE continue to experience heavy rent burden, with average annual incomes between $11,000 and $12,000. They find out about the benefit too late and cannot have the benefit “rolled-back” to an affordable level.
• NYC must rollback and cap rents at 1/3 of household income to help seniors off the fiscal cliff.
• Click here to check out our infographics highlighting the alarming SCRIE statistics.

Sign our Campaign. Share on Social Media. Be an Advocate