Jacqueline Wright was a little nervous, but she didn’t let that stop her. She stepped up to the mic in front of a crowd of cheering older adults, introduced herself with a hearty “Good morning, friends!” and launched into an impassioned defense of Older Adult Centers. As a member of our Lincoln Square center, she said, the classes, reduced-price meals and social events there are critical: “The services provided ensure that seniors age in dignity, and that’s what we’re all about. We do not want any cuts!”
The rally was organized by a coalition of older adult advocates, including AARP New York, YMCA, and our fellow settlement houses across the city. It called for a $2.3 billion investment in older adult services—more than triple the amount in Mayor Mamdani’s preliminary budget proposal. That money would go toward housing, food, and support programs like the ones we provide at Lincoln Square.
“We want the budget to be increased,” Wright added. “We worked for that money, and we need it to keep ourselves healthy and strong.” She ended by leading the crowd through a rousing chant of “Age Strong New York!” and walked off to wild applause.
Also on the speaker’s list was the actual Speaker—City Council Speaker Julie Menin, our neighbor and Council Member who represents many of our members on the Upper East Side. “As a council we owe it to our seniors to make sure that they are getting meals, make sure that our seniors have affordable housing—that is non-negotiable for us. We must invest in aging!” Menin declared.
The numbers tell an alarming tale. Over the last decade, older adult poverty has surged nearly 50 percent across the state, while homelessness has nearly tripled. Wright has seen the evidence with her own eyes. “I walk around Manhattan, and I see all these homeless older people,” she said after the rally. “It’s scary.”
As a settlement house, Goddard Riverside’s mission isn’t just to ameliorate the impacts of poverty—we’re also committed to creating a more just society. This spring we’ve sent staff and participants to both the State Capitol in Albany and City Hall in NYC to share their perspectives with lawmakers on a wide range of issues, from mental health to higher education. Staff and participants also testify regularly before the state legislature and City Council.
You can weigh in too! Click here to connect with the Age Strong campaign. Learn about the city budget here; click to contact the mayor and your city council member.