Dear Friends,

Someone recently asked me, “How can we get more New Yorkers to care about helping older people?”  It was a good question. Truth be told, I have yet to meet a New Yorker who said they don’t care about helping older people. What I have seen is many New Yorkers who don’t yet realize the profound challenges people face as they age in New York City. For example, up to one in five older new Yorkers say they worry about where their meals will come from. Up to three quarters of people over 65 who are homebound, live alone.  Once New Yorkers realize these issues exist, they naturally want to help make it better. There are SO MANY ways we can help New York be a better place to age. It all starts by checking in on your neighbors, and that is exactly what you will do by getting involved with Encore. Spend part of a morning delivering meals to a neighbor who can’t leave their homes; or spend part of an afternoon socializing with older adults at an Older Adult Center (OAC). Regardless of how you get involved, I invite you learn about issues that affect all of us New Yorkers as we age. Every older adult should have what they need to age in their homes with purpose and dignity, for as long as possible. We call this an Encore For Life (EFL). And YOU can be part of making that Encore For Life a reality for your older neighbors.

Encore Community Services makes a life-saving difference for older adults on the west side of Manhattan. Encore has been making that difference since 1977, and it does so by providing meals, programming, and affordable and supportive housing.

When we at Encore Community Services say older adults connected to us will have an Encore for Life, we mean they will be:

• Well nourished. Every year, Encore provides hundreds of thousands of meals to older adults in need. In Fiscal Year 2024, we served almost half a million meals – and we have set ambitious goals to do even more, including increasing menu choices and coordinating a range of food-related community events.

• Thriving in community. Through a variety of social service programs, Encore ensures older neighbors are never alone and have the community resources they need to thrive. Encore provides programming, social connections, and care planning for thousands of older New Yorkers. These programs include arts, recreation, and education cases, in addition to social work guided case management services.  We do this for people who come to us from all over New York City and especially for those who live on the West Side of Manhattan, from 14^th street to 120^th Street and in Encore’s two affordable and supportive residences.

“How can we get more New Yorkers to care about helping older people?” All it takes is one personal connection, and they will be hooked. And that’s because this stuff matters. It really matters. You can help your older neighbors live an Encore For Life. You can help by donating. You can help by volunteering. Make a donation. I hope you will commit to helping older adults. Every moment you spend at Encore as a volunteer, every dollar you donate makes a real-world difference in the lives of older adults.

We hope you will join us and give older adults an Encore for Life.

Warmest regards,

Jeremy Kaplan