| Senior Center Cuts Are No Joke |
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| Friday, 02 April 2010 08:46 |
It was April 1st, but “Don’t Be Fooled,” warned seniors and state and city officials at a press conference at the Corsi Senior Center in Harlem yesterday. The event, hosted by Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA), served to remind the community that the State’s proposed budget cuts to Title XX funding for seniors are not a joke.State and City representatives gathered to speak out against a 25% reduction in funding for centers like Corsi. The proposed reallocation of Title XX funding to other purposes could result in the closure of as many as 100 senior centers, say advocates. While the State Senate has voted to reinstate all of the Title XX funding, the Assembly has voted to reinstate a lesser amount, 75%. An estimated 45 to 50 centers would still be threatened with closure at a time when New York City’s senior population is growing. The projected population of seniors in New York City is expected to grow significantly over the coming years, from 1.3 million in 2005 to 1.8 million in 2030. Nearly 32% of 1.3 million seniors live below the poverty line. Centers provide numerous support services for seniors, such as affordable meals, home care, and educational programs. “We wanted to make some noise about the issue and make sure legislators heard from the community,” said Bich Ha Pham, Director of Policy at FWPA. “There are going to be a lot of things on their desk in the next week and we wanted them to know there is a lot of concern in the community.” The recession has put legislators in a fiscal catch-22. They are forced to trim the budget for the same reasons the community needs the money most. “This is not the time to reduce support to senior centers. The economy has increased demand for community based services and this proposed budget cut would cripple the network of senior centers in New York City,” said New York State Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz. There is concern over the effect such closures would have on the staff and caseworkers who provide these services. These personnel are also responsible for guaranteeing seniors’ access to government benefits, such as food stamps and Medicaid, and helping seniors stay out of homeless shelters. According to Fern Hertzberg, the Executive Director of ARC XVI- Fort Washington, caseworkers prevented 12 evictions last November in Washington Heights. Many expressed worry that staff at underfunded locations could end up in the unemployment line themselves. Chair of the Senate Aging Committee Chris Lynn applauded the community for speaking out through letters and phone calls, but urged everyone to “Keep up the Fight.” by Mason Braswell Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           |
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