Senator Montgomery congratulates the Spanish Speaking Elderly Council-RAICES on their 40th Anniversary

Senator Velmanette Montgomery joins Executive Director Lisette Sosa-Dickson, LCSW, the Board of Directors, staff members, seniors and community stakeholders to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Spanish Speaking Elderly Council-RAICES. 

For the past four decades, RAICES has evolved into a cornerstone in our community and a daily home away from home for seniors throughout New York City. RAICES embraces the diversity that makes our state so unique and provides top-notch activities and comprehensive services to help seniors remain independent. 

The Spanish Speaking Elderly Council-RAICES is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization that operates in New York City. RAICES was founded in 1978 by retired Hispanic senior citizens who saw the need for an organization which would provide services, educate and organize the Latino, minority and low income aging community in the borough of Brooklyn.  ​

RAICES’ mission is to respond to the unmet needs of the Latino, African American and low income community and seeks to improve their quality of life through advocacy and the direct provision of targeted services with work across the generations and a particular emphasis on the needs of older adults. 

RAICES currently operates seven senior centers, five in Brooklyn and two in Queens, N.Y.  All of the senior centers employ dedicated bilingual staff that provide culturally competent services in English and Spanish. The RAICES team enthusiastically embraces the responsibility they have with the community in providing its members with information, education, services and programs that will help live positive, healthy and independent lifestyles.  Similarly, all senior centers offer its members a sense of family, friendship and fellowship.

In addition, all senior centers provide its members with an array of case assistance, advocacy, information and benefits and entitlements assistance with such services as Medicaid-Medicare and Medicare Part D, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security (SSA), Medical Insurance Counseling, Food Stamps, Senior Housing Issues, Senior Citizens Rent Increase Exemption Program (SCRIE), and Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP).

Senator Montgomery is proud to represent all five of the RAICES senior centers in Brooklyn:

• RAICES Gowanus Senior Center, 420 Baltic Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201 * 718-797.2472
• RAICES Times Plaza Neighborhood Senior Center, 460 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11217 * 718.694.0895
• Wyckoff Garden Neighborhood Senior Center,  280 Wyckoff Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11217 * 718.237.1802
• Red Hook Neighborhood Senior Center, 110 W. 9th Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11231 * 917.769.7518
• Farragut Senior Center, 228 York St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201 * 718.422.1069

For more information about RAICES, visit https://www.raices.us

To learn more about the re-opening of the Red Hook Senior Center, visit https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/articles/velmanette-montgomery/senator-montgomery-celebrates-opening-new-red-hook

To read the Legislative Resolution honoring RAICES, visit https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/resolutions/2017/j5068