ACTION ALERT
NOVEMBER 10, 2006

THANKSGIVING IS COMING!
LET’S MAKE SURE THE NEW FUNDING FOR MEALS, VANS, AND RENT STAYS IN THE BUDGET

LET’S THANK CITY COUNCIL FOR THE NEW FUNDING
AND ASK THAT THE MONEY BE “BASELINED” SO
IT WILL STAY IN THE BUDGET

MAIL FLYERS TO COUNCILMEMBERS NOW 
IN TIME FOR THANKSGIVING

 

City Council allocated $9.2 million in this year’s FY2007 budget:

• $4.5 million – 35 cents more a meal

• $4.0 million - van funds for senior centers, adult day, and NORCs

• $750,000 - rent for senior centers

This funding is for one year. It is important to get the money “baselined” – this means that the funding will remain in your agency’s budget year after year so we don’t have to advocate for the same funding every year. This process is known as the “budget dance” which we would like to end.

Please have seniors, including homebound elderly, staff, adult children of seniors and anyone else you can think of to send in this flyer. You can xerox copies and mail them to the five Councilmembers listed below and then mail them in all together. 

For further information, please contact Bobbie Sackman, (212) 398-6565, x226

CSCS – ADVOCATING FOR YOU EVERY DAY!

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PLEASE HAVE SENIORS SIGN THE FLYERS AND 
SEND THEM IN BULK TO:

1. The Councilmember(s) from your district - Send the flyers – or hand deliver them - to their local district office. It would be great to invite your Councilmember to come to the center, thank them in person and give them the flyers in front of the seniors. You could also contact local press to write about winning more funds for senior meals.

2. Speaker Christine Quinn – Speaker Quinn is the head of City Council. Send flyers to: Speaker Christine Quinn, City Hall, NY, NY 10007. She has been supportive of funding for senior meals. 

3. Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo, Chair, Committee on Aging – Councilwoman Arroyo, as chair of the Aging Committee, took a leading role in winning the $4.5 million in funds for senior meals. Send flyers to: Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo, Chair, Committee on Aging, 384 E. 149th Street, Bronx, NY 10455

4. Councilman John Liu, Chair, Transportation Committee – Councilman Liu played the leading role in winning the $4 million for the vans last year and making sure we got the money restored again for next year. Send flyers to: Councilman John Liu, 135-27 38th Ave., Suite 388, Flushing, NY 11354

5. Councilman David Weprin, Chair, Finance Committee – As chair of the Finance Committee, the most powerful committee in City Council, Councilman Weprin played a key role in winning the $4.5 million for senior meals. Send flyers to: Councilman David Weprin, Chair, Finance Committee, 205-07 Hillside Ave., Suite 16, Hollis, NY 11423

Please wish a happy Thanksgiving and send flyers to all five of the above Councilmembers. Winning the funds for meals, vans and rent took a lot of support from City Council. CSCS is pleased that City Council, once again, has shown its strong support for meals and services for senior citizens.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

My name is _____________________________ and I am a member of the _______________________ Senior Center in ______________________. I wish you and your family a happy Thanksgiving. It is this time of the year that I am especially thankful for the $4.5 million for the meals at senior centers and meals-on-wheels. The $4 million for the vans we need and the $750,000 for rent increases at senior centers also helps seniors at our center. 

It is important that we can count on this money year after year. Please make these funds permanent in the budget so we know we will always have good meals, vans, and that senior centers can pay rent. Thank you for helping our senior center.

PLEASE MAKE OUR WISH COME TRUE!