Celebrating National Senior Center Month

For National Senior Center Month in September, Department for the Aging (DFTA) Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, State Senator Robert Jackson, and Assembly Member Al Taylor visited two senior centers to celebrate the diversity, activities, and health and wellness services that the City's network of nearly 250 centers offers.

Commissioner Cortés-Vázquez also presented certificates to the Riverstone Senior Life and Washington Heights Senior Centers for their service to older New Yorkers in the community.

"Older adult centers serve as a second home for so many New Yorkers, providing vital services and preventing social isolation," said Cortés-Vázquez. "These hubs of connectedness should be celebrated year-round!"

About 30,000 New Yorkers attend older adult centers daily across the five boroughs. Membership is free and open to anyone age 60 or older. Immigration status and income are never barriers to membership. Centers provide meals with a nominal suggested donation, educational and wellness workshops, technology classes, recreational outings, falls prevention classes, and more. Members are also screened for benefits and entitlements.

"Senior centers are the building blocks of New York City's older adult service system, and I am proud to do my part to tap into their power as safe spaces that battle social isolation, provide daily nutrition, and connect seniors to lifesaving services, enriching programs and volunteer opportunities in their communities," said Council Member Margaret S. Chin, Chair of the Committee on Aging.

State Senator Robert Jackson said, "I'm proud to represent over a dozen Manhattan senior centers from Marble Hill to Chelsea ... Keeping our senior centers well-funded and accessible is so important as more and more New Yorkers choose to age in place."