Brooklyn Borough President

SENIOR CITIZENS FIGHT FOR BETTER TRANSPORTATION

In photo: Markowitz calls for the city to allocate funds to maintain vans for seniors.

Photograph by Andy Kadin

In photo: Markowitz calls for the city to allocate funds to maintain vans for seniors.

Brooklyn Seniors Urge City to Fund Their Transit Needs

On Thursday, June 16, Borough President Marty Markowitz and the Council of Senior Centers and Services of NYC hosted City Council Members John Liu, chair of the council’s transportation committee, Mike Nelson, and Letitia James at a senior transit forum. Over 150 Brooklyn seniors came from Coney Island, East New York, Williamsburg and elsewhere to urge the city to allocate funds to maintain 400 vans used by senior centers and naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) citywide. Currently, senior centers and other senior services organizations are forced to take money from their programming budgets to maintain their vans, diminishing the services they are able to provide to those in their care.

“I am honored to be joined by so many members of Brooklyn’s most exclusive club — 60 and over,” said Markowitz. “I’ve waited all my life to be a member of this club! On a more serious note, we must ensure that our seniors are treated with the respect that they deserve. Our seniors need these vans to see the doctor, go shopping, attend cultural events and visit family and friends — these vans are crucial to their quality of life. One true test by which any society’s dignity must be measured is how it cares for its mature citizens. Funding reliable transportation for our seniors, many of whom find other forms of travel too challenging or strenuous, is part of that test. And, I’m confident that by working together we will be able to pass with flying colors.”

The Meals-on-Wheels program also depends on these vans. This year, the van fleet is expected to provide 715,000 rides citywide. Since Brooklyn is home to more senior citizens than any other borough, these services are especially important to Brooklyn residents.

Bobbie Sackman, Director of Public Policy for the Council of Senior Centers and Services, Marianne Nicolosi, Executive Director of Park Slope Geriatric Day Center, Dolores Barry of the Wayside Tompkins Park Senior Center and Igal Jellinek, Executive Director of the Council of Senior Centers and Services, spoke at the summit. Mary Lou Bradley represented Council Member David Yassky’s office.