SCS is part of a city-wide activation of air-conditioned facilities that residents can visit to cool down. New York City opens cooling centers throughout the five boroughs to help prevent heat-related illnesses or deaths. NY1 Noticias stopped by SCS on June 20 and spoke with residents using our cooling center and with Shyvonne Noboa, the Associate Executive Director for Older Adult Services at SCS. See the full story online here.
SCS News
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NY1 Noticias talks to SCS Elder Justice Worker Carol Hernandez; Commissioner of the NYC Department for the Aging, Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez; and Nancy Mejía, a New Yorker who has experienced elder abuse firsthand. Watch the full video clip online here.
SCS’ Elder Justice program helps individuals living in Western Queens (Community Districts 1-7 and 11), including Long Island City, Sunnyside, Astoria, Jackson Heights, Corona, Flushing, Rego Park, and many other neighborhoods. Read more about our program here.
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More than 200 people attended an event on June 10 to commemorate World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The event was organized by NYC Aging in partnership with SCS. Read more in this Sunnyside Post article: https://sunnysidepost.com/new-yorkers-march-to-combat-elder-abuse-at-nyc-department-for-the-agings-awareness-event-in-sunnyside
SCS’ Elder Justice program helps individuals living in Western Queens (Community Districts 1-7 and 11), including Long Island City, Sunnyside, Astoria, Jackson Heights, Corona, Flushing, Rego Park, and many other neighborhoods. Read more about our program here.
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Sunnyside Post covered a rally in Sunnyside, where participants advocated to extend the temporary apartment leases for residents who were displaced by a five-alarm fire last December.
Among those interviewed was SCS Executive Director Judy Zangwill, who said “Sunnyside Community Services stands with the former residents in calling for an extension of their temporary leases in order for these families to have some stability. Members of the SCS senior center and children from our youth programs were forced out of their homes when this fire occurred. We worked with them through the shock and trauma as this community rallied together to support them. Further hurt could be avoided by simply extending the leases while renovations to the building continue.”
See the full story online here.
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In this issue of the News and Views newsletter, you can read about recent news regarding SCS. Stories in this issue include: SCS’ 50th anniversary; Volunteer Recognition Day; intergenerational programming connecting older adults and youth; Earth Day clean-up; cosmetology students giving older adults haircuts and manicures; remembering SCS founder Byron Stookey; and the Caregiver Conference at the Queens Botanical Garden.
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SCS Executive Director Judy Zangwill was honored at the first annual Lily Gavin Memorial Sunnyside Women’s History Breakfast Celebration, which was held in April at our Sunnyside location. Judy was one of four local women who were recognized for their vital contributions to the Sunnyside neighborhood. The other local leaders honored at the event included NYC Councilmember Julie Won,Queens District Manager Debra Markell-Kleinert, and Pete’s Grill co-owner Davi Surujballie-Moundros.
Read more about the event and about Lily Gavin, one of Sunnyside’s most influential figures, in the Sunnyside Post article.
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Byron Stookey, one of SCS’s founders and our first Executive Director, died April 12, 2024 in Brattleboro, Vermont. He was 90 years old.
Byron was born and raised in Manhattan. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Infantry and served for three years as a paratrooper and officer. He earned his bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in teaching from Harvard University.
Throughout his life, he dedicated himself to serving others. His varied career included founding Harvard’s first student housing cooperative, contributing to the development of the University of California Santa Cruz, establishing an alternative public high school in East Harlem, and teaching world history to high school students. Fifty years ago, Byron was instrumental in founding SCS, which began as a senior center in a church basement. He was our organization’s first Executive Director.
To learn more about Byron’s remarkable life, you can read his obituary published in the Vermont newspaper, The Commons.
If you would like to dedicate a gift to SCS in memory of Byron Stookey, click here and select the checkbox labeled “Please dedicate my gift in honor of Byron Stookey.”
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On April 8, SCS employees and members of our Center for Active Older Adults gathered for a rooftop viewing party of the solar eclipse.
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Our new Elder Justice Program will address elder abuse, providing support and assistance to older adults in Western Queens who are experiencing abuse, and providing information and educational workshops for others in the community so that they can recognize signs of elder abuse and help. The Queens Times featured this program in their March 21 edition on page 7. Read the full March 21 edition of the Queens Times here.
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Urban Upbound, in collaboration with elected officials and community leaders, offers free tax filing through it’s free tax program. The program serves lower-income New Yorkers at 36 partner sites including SCS.
Judy Zangwill, Executive Director of SCS, is quoted in the Queens Gazette: “For many older adults, filing their taxes can be a daunting task. Through our partnership with Urban Upbound, members of our Center for Active Older Adults receive free tax preparation and guidance, ensuring that our members receive the credits and refunds they’re entitled to. We are so thankful that the professionals at Urban Upbound contribute their time and expertise to support older adults in Queens.”
Read the full article online here.
