Thousands more letters need to be mailed to Governor Cuomo to save senior centers!

Action Alert

SENIOR CENTERS KEEP UP THE HEAT!

GOOD NEWS – OVER 10,500 LETTERS FROM SENIOR CENTERS HAVE BEEN SENT TO GOVERNOR CUOMO OPPOSING THE TITLE XX CUT!

Governor Cuomo has until February 16th to change the budget language that made the cut. Thousands more letters need to be mailed by Wed. February 15.

What is happening and what you can do:

• LiveOn NY's recent state budget alert reported that the budget would require a set amount of federal Title XX funds to be used to support Child Care subsidy costs, instead of leaving the discretion to the counties on how to use the funding. Federal Title XX funds have been used to support senior centers in NYC for decades. NYC will lose $17 million in Title XX funds, forcing 65 senior centers to close in virtually every Assembly and Senate district.  This represents almost 30% of our Neighborhood Senior Centers.  6,000 seniors per day would lose their local senior center and lose access to vital nutrition, socialization and health promotion activities.  1.5 million meals per year will be lost.  There will be 24,000 of lost hours of case work assistance for benefits, housing and other needs.
• Ask seniors to take part in our letter writing campaign to urge the Governor allow Title XX funds to be used for senior centers so they don't close.  Letters should be put in the mail in bulk as soon as possible.  Click here for instructions and the model letter in English, Chinese and Spanish - seniors can fill out the section in their language.  Also Let your Assembly Members and Senators know about the letter writing campaign. They need to make sure no senior centers close.

Thank you and Stay Tuned!

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

Reminder: Send Letters to Governor's Office to Protect Title XX Funding for Senior Center

Printable Version for this Alert

February 8, 2017

GOOD NEWS – OVER 5,000 LETTERS FROM SENIOR CENTERS HAVE BEEN SENT TO GOVERNOR CUOMO

WE NEED THOUSANDS MORE! GO, GO, GO!

What is happening:

LiveOn NY's recent state budget alert reported that the 2017-18 state budget proposal has over $13 million in cuts and cost shifts that would affect aging services in New York.  

Already Over 5,000 letters sent!

Of note, the Budget would require a set amount of federal Title XX funds to be used to support Child Care subsidy costs, instead of leaving the discretion to the counties on how to use the funding. Federal Title XX funds have been used to support senior centers in NYC for decades. NYC will lose $17 million in Title XX funds, forcing 65 senior centers to close in virtually every Assembly and Senate district.  This represents almost 30% of our Neighborhood Senior Centers.  6,000 seniors per day would lose their local senior center and lose access to vital nutrition, socialization and health promotion activities.  1.5 million meals per year will be lost.  There will be 24,000 of lost hours of case work assistance for benefits, housing and other needs.

Click here for news coverage on the Title XX issue.

What you can do:

Ask seniors to take part in our letter writing campaign to urge the Governor allow Title XX funds to be used for senior centers so they don't close.  Letters should be put in the mail in bulk as soon as possible.  Click here for instructions and the model letter in English, Chinese and Spanish - seniors can fill out the section in their language.

Take Action Now to Protect Funding for Senior Centers and Aging Services

Printable Verison for this Alert note: acrobat format

English, Chinese, Spanish and Instructions note: acrobat format

State Budget Priorities note: acrobat format

City Budget Agenda note: acrobat format

What is Happening and
Why it is Important

State Budget

• LiveOn NY's Jan. 20 state budget alert reported that the 2017-18 state budget proposal has over $13 million in cuts and cost shifts that would affect aging services in New York.  Click here to view that alert.
• Take part in our letter writing campaign. The Budget would require a set amount of federal Title XX funds to be used to support Child Care subsidy costs, instead of leaving the discretion to the counties on how to use the funding. Federal Title XX funds have been used to support senior centers in NYC for decades. NYC will lose $17 million in Title XX funds, forcing 65 senior centers to close in virtually every Assembly and Senate district.  This represents almost 30% of our Neighborhood Senior Centers.  6,000 seniors per day would lose their local senior center and lose access to vital nutrition, socialization and health promotion activities.  1.5 million meals per year will be lost.  There will be 24,000 of lost hours of case work assistance for benefits, housing and other needs.
• We need thousands of seniors to send letters to the Governor to tell him to allow Title XX funds to be used for senior centers so they don't close.  Letters should be put in the mail in bulk by Friday February 10.  Click here for instructions and the model letter which is in English, Chinese and Spanish.
• The budget is typically completed by the end of March.
• Click here to view the Governor's Executive Budget Proposal.
• Click here to view LiveOn NY's State Budget Priorities.

City Budget

• Mayor de Blasio's FY17 Preliminary Budget was released January 24, 2017. 
• Click here to view LiveOn NY's City Budget Agenda.
• The budget included $4.3 million for home care. This funding is not baselined which means that that it is only good for one year.  It is the same amount as last year, so there is no new money for home care, despite the fact that there are wailists citywide of 560 older adults, which is growing each month.
• There is no new money for Case Management Services despite over 1,800 seniors on waitlists - a 30% increase from a year ago.
• Budget negotiations between the Administration and City Council are now underway.
• Click here to view the full budget details from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
• The budget is typically completed in mid-June, with a deadline of June 30.

What You Can Do

State

• Ask seniors to take part in our letter writing campaign to urge the Governor allow Title XX funds to be used for senior centers so they don't close.  Letters should be put in the mail in bulk by Friday February 10.  Click here for instructions and the model letter in English, Chinese and Spanish - seniors can fill out the section in their language.
• Set up meetings in February with your state legislators in the district offices to discuss your aging programs.  We are counting on your help. Click here for the full state budget priorities agenda. Talking points will be posted soon. 
• Please email Andrea at acianfrani@liveon-ny.org if you are holding meetings or events.
• Call your legislators’ offices and tell them to support aging services and to prevent the cuts, and send them the link to the budget ask.
• Invite legislators to your program in February so they can see your important work and the need for funding and why the cuts would be so devastating.
• Let LiveOn NY know of the events you are holding, meetings you have and key relationships you have developed with legislators or who are supportive of aging programs so we can continue to build a supportive network.  email Andrea at acianfrani@liveon-ny.org if you are holding meetings or events.

City

• Click here to learn more about LiveOn NY's City Budget Priorities. 
• Set up meetings in February with your City Council members to discuss your programs that serve older adults. Share LiveOn NY's budget priorities.
• Invite your City Council Member to visit your center or program to speak to seniors so they can see the value of the programs that service older adults in your district.
• Save the Date for our 22nd Annual Senior Advocacy Day -- Wednesday May 3, 2017.  More to follow!

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

• Click here to find your City Council Member.

For more information contact Bobbie Sackman, Associate Executive Director of Public Policy at 212-398-6565x226 or bsackman@liveon-ny.org or Andrea Cianfrani, Deputy Director of Public Policy at 212-398-6565x233 or acianfrani@liveon-ny.org

Title XX Letter Writing Campaign – Save Senior Centers

Instructions on How to Get Involved

1. Senior Centers/Programs and the general public should print out the appropriate 1-page letter that appears below. The letter appears in English, Chinese, and Spanish.
2. Make copies of the letter and distribute to the seniors at your center/program.
3. Ask them to personalize the letter by filling in the blanks.

4. Send the letters to:

   The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
   Governor of New York State
   NYS State Capitol Building
   Albany, NY, 12224 Re: Do Not Close Senior Centers!

5. For senior centers, tear off the bottom portion and send it back to LiveOn NY so we can track the numbers of letters sent. Centers and the general public can also send this tracking information in an email to Stefanie Jackowitz at sjackowitz@liveon-ny.org .

6. Questions? Call Stefanie at 212-398-6565 x 237

Model Letter and Instructions

English, Chinese, Spanish and Instructions

Press Release: Mayor de Blasio budget shortchanges seniors on waiting lists

AARP, LiveOn NY: Status Quo Homecare Funding in Mayor’s Budget Not Enough

Increase Needed to Keep Pace with Aging Population, Help New Yorkers Age Safely at Home

NEW YORK, N.Y. – AARP New York and LiveOn NY today called on the city to go beyond Mayor Bill de Blasio’s preliminary budget by increasing funding for homecare services to allow growing numbers of older middle class New Yorkers to age in their own homes with dignity, rather than in institutional care settings that cost taxpayers even more.
 
The groups thanked the mayor for recognizing the importance of homecare by maintaining last year’s $4.3 million in the preliminary budget he released today to ensure existing recipients continue to receive their care.
 
But status quo funding does not meet the growing needs of an aging population.
 
For years these services have been underfunded, leading to waitlists that prevent some of the most vulnerable New Yorkers from receiving the care they need. Two months after the passage of last year’s final city budget the homecare waitlist increased by 15%.
 
“Homecare services are a win-win for all; they help New Yorkers age with dignity in their own homes - where most want to stay - while helping avoid even more expensive, taxpayer-funded institutional care settings,” said Beth Finkel, State Director of AARP NY. “AARP urges the city to increase overall homecare funding for seniors in the final budget.”

“We acknowledge that Mayor de Blasio allocated funding for City-funded home care. Yet with hours frozen and a waiting list of nearly 600 people, the amount will neither address those languishing on lists or increase hours for those in need. Further, there are over 1,800 older people waiting for case management services. With research continuing to show that isolation is a bigger determinant of morbidity than obesity – we urge the City and Mayor de Blasio to act immediately to increase funding for these life-sustaining services,” said Allison Nickerson, Executive Director LiveOn NY.
 
The $4.3 million the mayor is proposing should be baselined, but the program needs a more realistic investment to avoid perpetual waitlists that harm New Yorkers.
 
This need is only growing as New York’s population ages - the city’s 65 and over population is projected to increase 40% between 2010 and 2040. The city has a responsibility to do more to support seniors with comprehensive services.

As the budget process continues, AARP NY and Live On NY will continue working with the city’s policymakers to ensure that these essential services provided by the Department for the Aging are adequately funded and baselined to support aging in NYC.

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