Hundreds rally at Queens Borough Hall to protest $102M cuts to senior services

Hundreds of seniors gathered at Queens Borough Hall on Wednesday morning to protest a proposed $102 million budget cut to the New York City Department for the Aging (DFTA)—a reduction that advocates warn could lead to the closure of up to 90 senior centers across the city.

The rally, held at 120-55 Queens Blvd. in Kew Gardens as part of Queens Advocacy Day, brought together Queens-based senior advocacy groups alongside Queens Borough President Donovan Richards to demand funding for critical services that support older New Yorkers.

Organized by the nonprofit LiveOn NY, the event called on Mayor Eric Adams to reverse the proposed cuts and invest $2.3 billion in nutrition, housing, and community services for the city’s aging population.

As part of LiveOn NY’s Age Strong action campaign, demonstrators chanted “Age Strong, New York” and “We’ll Remember in November”—a pointed reference to the upcoming city elections, signaling that funding for senior services would be a key issue at the polls.

Advocates also held placards calling for “nutritious meals” for elderly citizens, while others held signs calling on the city to “give us what we deserve.”

A coalition consisting of dozens of senior groups from across the borough, including Sunnyside Community Services, Rochdale Village Social Services Inc., Services Now for Adult Persons, Inc., and Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement, attended Wednesday’s rally. The coalition called for increased funding for senior centers across the city. Many participants stated that numerous senior centers are already badly underfunded.

Alisson Nickerson, executive director of LiveOn NY, said the proposed cuts to the Department for the Aging are “absolutely unacceptable,” adding that “countless” senior residents in New York will be unable to avail of health and wellness programming when they need it.

“We’re calling on the city to spend $2.3 billion, which is an investment in food, affordable senior housing and community support,” Nickerson said. “There are 500,000 people on waiting lists for affordable senior housing, which is, again, unacceptable.”

Richards said he was “not asking, but demanding” that senior centers across the city, especially those in Queens, be fully funded and resourced.

“For far too long, Queens has been short-changed in terms of the amount of money and resources allocated to you,” Richards said. “We know our senior centers are our livelihood.”

Richards added that senior centers are more than just a hub for New York City’s senior residents, describing centers as a “catalyst for change” and a place where local residents can embrace culture.

Richards also vowed that Queens would “fight like heck” to defend the rights of senior citizens, pledging to do everything possible to protect Medicare and Medicaid, regardless of “what we see in Washington.”

“We talk about the diversity of Queens, and let me say this: we will never cower in the face of what we see happening in the federal government. Our diversity is our strength,” Richards said.

Kevin Kiprovski, director of public policy for LiveOn NY, said Wednesday’s rally could help put pressure on elected officials to support funding increases for senior services across the city.

“Seeing 200 people in a room does a lot to an elected official. It changes the tone,” Kiprovski said.

Kiprovski added that the proposed $102 million cuts to the Department for the Aging represent a roughly 20% cut to the agency’s budget. He stated that such cuts could impact home-delivered meals, case management, and “anything that the city does for older adults.”

Kiprovski said some centers are badly underfunded, noting that some locations across the city have not seen infrastructure upgrades in the last 20 years.

“Some of them have mold issues. Some of them have collapsed ceilings, and they’re doing their best, but honestly, without any money, how are you going to fix that?” Kiprovski said.

Jean Silva of the Kew Gardens Older Adult Center called on senior organizations to band together and present a united front in order to fight for funding increases for senior services in New York City.

“This is your taxpayer money that’s been sitting there,” Silva said. “Please don’t give up. Keep fighting. And I’ll be right there with you.”

Kiprovski, meanwhile, stated that adequately funding the Department for the Aging should be on “everyone’s minds” as long as they are city residents.

Elizabeth Daniele of Sunnyside Community Services said funding increases for senior services would not represent a “handout,” adding that the funding would go toward programs and incentives that seniors deserve.

“Sunnyside Community Services has a mission to enrich the lives and strengthen communities through services and improvement for individuals, beginning with those most in need,” Daniele said. “For over 50 years, we at Sunnyside have served the older adult community in Western Queens and beyond, ensuring that older adults have the nutrition, the physical activity, the education and all the support that they need to live active, healthy lives.”

Sheree Shivers, executive director of Rochdale Village Senior Center, said proposed budget cuts threaten programs that sustain quality of life for senior residents.

“We need increased funding, not reductions. We need more investment, and more investment is essential to combat the food insecurity, to ensure affordable housing and to expand the services that keep our seniors thriving.”