CONSUMER ALERT: New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection Reminds New Yorkers About the Importance of Water Safety

 

Safety Is the Number One Priority as Summertime Brings Water Activities for Families

Secretary Robert J. Rodriguez: “I urge all New Yorkers to follow these simple safety tips and always supervise children in and around all bodies of water to help keep the summertime safe and fun for all.”

For this week’s Tuesday’s Tips, the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is reminding New Yorkers of the importance of water safety. Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer when many families head to swimming pools, beaches and lakes to enjoy the warmer weather. It is critical to follow proper safety protocol near any body of water to prevent accidents. Follow the New York Department of State on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and check in every Tuesday for more practical tips that educate and empower New York consumers on a variety of topics. Sign up to receive consumer alerts directly to your email or phone here.

“As the summer heat arrives, families all across the state will be looking for fun ways to stay cool, and that often means heading to the pool or beach,” said New York Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez. “I urge all New Yorkers to follow these simple safety tips and always supervise children in and around all bodies of water to help keep the summertime safe and fun for all.”

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, & Historic Preservation Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said, “Our mission at State Parks is to provide safe and enjoyable recreation. On our waterways, know your limitations, wear life jackets, take boater education courses and please refrain from alcohol and drug impairment. We entrust lifeguards, Park Rangers and Park Police all around our pools, streams, lakes and beaches. This summer, both in and out of the water, we hope everyone can safely enjoy our beautiful parks.”

Acting State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “Summer is a time for fun in the sun and in the water, but accidents can happen in an instant without the proper safety precautions. With warmer weather approaching, we strongly encourage New York’s families to review water safety with their children and ensure they’re supervised around water at all times.”

Safety tips for ALL bodies of water:

• Adult Supervision: This is the number one way to prevent drowning. Never leave a child unattended in or near water, and always designate a Water Watcher. This person should not be reading, texting, using a smartphone, drinking alcoholic beverages or otherwise distracted.
• Choose bright colors: Studies show the color of one’s bathing suit can make a difference in visibility. Consider the color of your child’s swimsuit before heading to a pool, beach or lake. For light-bottomed pools, neon pink and neon orange tend to be the most visible. For lakes and dark-bottomed pools, neon orange, neon green and neon yellow tend to be the most visible.
• Identify swimmers in need of help: While we tend to think that swimmers in trouble will be waving their hands and making lots of noise, this may not always be the case. Watch out for people whose heads are low in the water (mouth submerged) or tilted back with mouth open, eyes closed or unable to focus, legs vertical in the water or who are trying to swim but not making progress.
• Swimming Lessons: Multiple studies show swimming lessons prevent drowning. Parents are encouraged to enroll their children in swimming lessons, as the most basic swimming skills can help keep a child safe in the water. In addition, recent data from the US Swimming Foundation shows that children in some communities continue to have no or disproportionally low swimming ability. Many municipal pools and community centers offer free or low-cost swimming lessons, and everyone is encouraged to learn how to swim.
• Learn CPR: Every second counts and CPR can help in an emergency.

Open water safety:

• Wear Life Jackets: Put life jackets on kids anytime they are on a boat or participating in other open water recreational activities. Personal flotation devices should always be used for children that do not know how to swim. New Yok State law requires that children under 12 wear a Coast Guard-approved life vest on a boat or water vessel. For more information on proper life jackets, go to the United States Coast Guard site.
• Choose a spot on the beach close to a lifeguard: Swim only when a lifeguard is on duty.
• Watch for warning flags and know what they mean: Green flags usually mark designated swimming areas – be sure to swim between the green flags. Yellow flags may denote a surfing beach or an advisory. Red flags indicate a danger or hazard, and no one should swim when they are shown. Flag designations may vary so be sure to understand the color coding before you dive in.
• Watch out for rip currents: Rip currents are powerful currents moving away from shore. They tend to form near a shallow point in the water, such as a sandbar, or close to jetties and piers and can happen at any beach with breaking waves, including the Great Lakes. They are the number one hazard for beachgoers and can pull even the strongest swimmers out to sea. If you are caught in a rip current, try to remain calm and don’t fight it. Swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current, and float or tread water if you begin to tire. More from the National Weather Service, Break the Grip of the Rip.
• Beware of large waves and strong surf: Ocean swimming is different from swimming in a calm pool or lake. Large waves can easily knock over an adult. Be prepared for strong surf as well as sudden drop-offs near the shore.

Pool safety:

• Put Up Barriers: Install appropriate safety barriers around in-home pools and spas. This includes fences, gates, door alarms and covers.
• Pool Alarms: Install a pool alarm to detect and provide notification of unattended pool access.
• Small Pools: Drain and put away smaller portable pools when not in use.
• Cover Drains: Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid them getting stuck. Children’s hair, limbs, jewelry or bathing suits can get stuck in a drain or suction opening. Also, ensure any pool and spa you use has drain covers that comply with federal safety standards, which include drain shape, drain cover size and rate of water flow. Learn more here.

About the New York State Division of Consumer Protection

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection serves to educate, assist, and empower the State’s consumers. You may contact The Consumer Assistance Helpline at 1-800-697-1220 on Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm, excluding State Holidays. You may also file a consumer complaint any time at https://dos.ny.gov/consumer-protection. 

For more consumer protection tips, follow the Division on social media at Twitter: @NYSConsumer and Facebook: www.facebook.com/nysconsumer.

New Jersey Man Sentenced To 12 Years For Receiving Military-Type Training From Hizballah, Marriage Fraud, And Making False Statements

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ALEXEI SAAB, a/k/a “Ali Hassan Saab,” a/k/a “Alex Saab,” a/k/a “Rachid,” was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for receiving military-type training from Hizballah, marriage fraud, and making false statements.  A jury convicted SAAB of those offenses in May 2022 after a two-week trial.  The sentence was imposed by the Honorable Paul G. Gardephe, who also presided over the trial.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial:

Hizballah is a Lebanon-based Shia Islamic organization with political, social, and terrorist components.  Hizballah was founded in the 1980s with support from Iran after the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and its mission includes establishing a fundamentalist Islamic state in Lebanon.  Since Hizballah’s formation, the organization has been responsible for numerous terrorist attacks that have killed hundreds, including U.S. citizens and military personnel.  In 1997, the U.S. Department of State designated Hizballah a Foreign Terrorist Organization, pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and it remains so designated today.  In 2001, pursuant to Executive Order 13224, the U.S. Department of Treasury designated Hizballah a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity.  In 2010, State Department officials described Hizballah as the most technically capable terrorist group in the world and a continued security threat to the U.S.

The Islamic Jihad Organization (“IJO”), which is also known as the External Security Organization and “910,” is a component of Hizballah responsible for the planning and coordination of intelligence, counterintelligence, and terrorist activities on behalf of Hizballah outside of Lebanon.  In July 2012, an IJO operative detonated explosives on a bus transporting Israeli tourists in the vicinity of an airport in Burgas, Bulgaria.  The detonation killed six people and injured 32 others.  Law enforcement authorities have disrupted several other IJO attack-planning operations around the world, including the arrest of an IJO operative surveilling Israeli targets in Cyprus in 2012, the seizure of bomb-making precursor chemicals in Thailand in 2012, and a seizure of similar chemicals in May 2015 in connection with the arrest of another IJO operative.  In June 2017, two IJO operatives were arrested in the U.S and charged with terrorism-related offenses in the Southern District of New York.  In May 2019, a jury convicted one of those two IJO operatives on all counts, and in December 2019, he was sentenced principally to 40-years in prison.

SAAB joined Hizballah in 1996.  SAAB’s first Hizballah operations occurred in Lebanon, where he was tasked with observing and reporting on the movements of Israeli and Southern Lebanese Army soldiers in Yaroun, Lebanon.  Among other things, SAAB reported on patrol schedules and formations, procedures at security checkpoints, and the vehicles used by soldiers.  SAAB also, alongside his brother, planted an improvised explosive device that detonated and hit Israeli soldiers, seriously injuring at least one.

In approximately 1999, SAAB attended his first Hizballah training.  The training was focused on the use of firearms, and SAAB handled and fired an AK-47, an M16 rifle, and a pistol, and threw grenades.  In 2000, SAAB transitioned to membership in Hizballah’s unit responsible for external operations, the IJO, and he then received extensive training in IJO tradecraft, weapons, and military tactics, including how to construct and detonate bombs and other explosive devices and how to best use these devices in attacks.  Specifically, SAAB received detailed instruction in, among other things, triggering mechanisms, explosive substances, detonators, and the assembly of circuits.  In pre-arrest interviews with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), SAAB was able to diagram multiple improvised explosive devices that would have been viable if constructed as diagrammed.

In 2000, SAAB entered the U.S.  While living in the U.S., SAAB remained an IJO operative, continued to receive military training in Lebanon, and conducted numerous operations for the IJO.  For example, SAAB surveilled dozens of locations in New York City — including the United Nations headquarters, the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, the Empire State Building, and local airports, tunnels, and bridges — and provided detailed information on these locations, including photographs, to the IJO.  In particular, SAAB focused on the structural weaknesses of locations he surveilled in order to determine how a future attack could cause the most destruction.  SAAB’s reporting to the IJO included the materials used to construct a particular target, how close in proximity one could get to a target, and site weaknesses or “soft spots” that the IJO could exploit if it attacked a target in the future.  SAAB conducted similar intelligence gathering in a variety of large American cities, including Boston and Washington, D.C.   SAAB admitted that his surveillance was designed to best position the IJO to attack the U.S. in the future.  SAAB also was tasked by Hizballah with opening a front company that he could use to obtain fertilizer in the United States for use as an explosives precursor.

In addition to his attack-planning activities in the United States, SAAB conducted operations abroad.  For example, in or about 2003, SAAB attempted to murder a man he later understood to be a suspected Israeli spy.  SAAB pointed a firearm at the individual at close range and pulled the trigger twice, but the firearm did not fire.  SAAB also conducted surveillance in Istanbul, Turkey, and elsewhere. 

Finally, in or about 2012, SAAB entered into a fraudulent marriage in exchange for $20,000.  The purpose of the marriage was for SAAB’s purported wife to apply for her citizenship.  SAAB later falsely affirmed, under penalty of perjury, and in connection with his purported wife’s efforts to obtain status in the U.S., that the marriage was not for any immigration-related purposes. 

In addition to the prison term, SAAB, 46, was sentenced to 3 years of supervised release.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department.  Mr. Williams also thanked the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.

Attorney General James Sues Telecommunications Company Over Illegal Robocalls

 

Avid Telecom Routed Billions of Illegal Robocalls Nationwide and Ignored Repeated Warnings to Stop

New York Attorney General Letitia James today sued Avid Telecom (Avid), its owner Michael Lansky, and its vice president Stacey S. Reeves for illegally initiating and facilitating billions of robocalls to millions of Americans. The lawsuit alleges that Avid ignored repeated notifications that it was conducting illegal robocalls and made more than 7.5 billion calls to telephone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry. Today’s legal action arises from the nationwide, bipartisan Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force of 51 attorneys general.

“Americans are sick and tired of their phones ringing off the hook with fraudulent robocalls,” said Attorney General James. “Seniors and vulnerable consumers have been scammed out of millions because of these illegal robocalls. Today we are suing Avid Telecom for facilitating these annoying and illegal calls and for hurting ordinary Americans. I am proud to stand with my colleagues to protect consumers and put an end to this national nuisance.”

Avid Telecom is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service provider that sells data, phone numbers, dialing software, and expertise to help its customers make mass robocalls. The company provides its customers with Direct Inward Dialing (DID), which appear as a “Caller ID” number to an individual receiving a call. Avid sold DIDs in bulk and provided DIDs for telephone numbers from every area code in the United States. Avid’s customers were then able to use caller ID numbers with the same area code as the call recipient to increase the odds of the recipient answering the phone, a practice known as “spoofing.”

Between December 2018 and January 2023, Avid facilitated more than 24.5 billion calls. More than 90 percent of those calls lasted less than 15 seconds, which indicates they were likely robocalls. Further, Avid helped make hundreds of millions of calls using spoofed or invalid caller ID numbers, including more than 8.4 million calls that appeared to be coming from government and law enforcement agencies, as well as private companies. Avid sent or transmitted scam calls about Social Security Administration scams, Medicare scams, auto warranty scams, Amazon scams, DirecTV scams, credit card interest rate reduction scams, and employment scams. Examples of some of these scam calls are available to listen to here and here.

The USTelecom-led Industry Traceback Group, which is designated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to notify providers about known and suspected illegal robocalls sent across their networks, sent at least 329 notifications to Avid that it was transmitting illegal robocalls, but Avid ignored those notifications and continued to transmit those illegal robocalls.

The lawsuit alleges that Avid transmitted robocall campaigns in which the telemarketer and/or seller:

• Misrepresented material aspects of goods or services,

• Misrepresented the seller’s or telemarketer’s affiliation with corporations or government entities,

• Made false or misleading statements to induce any person to pay for goods or services,

• Failed to transmit or cause to be transmitted the real telephone number and the name of the telemarketer to caller identification services used by call recipients,

• Initiated or caused the initiation of outbound calls to telephone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry,

• Initiated or caused the initiation of outbound telephone calls that delivered prerecorded messages, and

• Failed to disclose the identity of the seller of the goods or services truthfully, promptly, and in a clear and conspicuous manner to the person receiving the call.

The lawsuit alleges that Avid violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the Telemarketing Sales Rule, and other federal and state telemarketing and consumer laws. Filed in the U.S. District Court of Arizona, the lawsuit seeks to secure a judgment stopping Avid from making and transmitting illegal calls, and ordering Avid to pay civil penalties, restitution, and damages to the plaintiff states.

The Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force is investigating and taking legal action against those responsible for routing significant volumes of illegal robocall traffic into and across the United States. The Federal Trade Commission and the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General provided investigative assistance in this matter.

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES $6 MILLION IN FUNDS TO REHABILITATE NEWLY DESIGNATED LANDMARK ‘(FORMER) COLORED SCHOOL NO. 4’

 

Site is Only Known Surviving Example of Racially Segregated School in Manhattan

 

Repairs Will Help Preserve New York’s Black History

 

Landmarks Preservation Commission Voted to Designate as Individual Landmark Earlier Today

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Commissioner Jessica Tisch, and New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) Chair Sarah Carroll today announced $6 million in funding for the rehabilitation of ‘(Former) Colored School No. 4’ in Manhattan, which LPC voted to designate as an individual landmark earlier today. (Former) Colored School No. 4 is the only known surviving building in Manhattan that exclusively served Black Americans during the troubled period of mandated racial segregation in New York City public schools. Spanning the period between the Civil War through the post-Reconstruction era, the site is an important reminder of racially segregated education in New York City and illustrates how education afforded crucial opportunities and skills to Black students as they struggled against the discrimination and inequities that were part of their daily life. The Adams administration’s decision to invest in the building’s rehabilitation will ensure that this history is never forgotten.

 

“As the second Black mayor in New York City history, the significance of this landmark designation is not lost on me, and I am proud we are investing $6 million to rehabilitate (Former) Colored School No. 4 so that this painful, yet important, piece of history is preserved,” said Mayor Adams. “Historic sites like this are crucial reminders of those who came before us, whose courage and ambition helped shape our city and chart the course to becoming the incredible city we are today. We stand on the shoulders of the young men and women that attended this school, and while they may be gone, I am honored to ensure they will never be forgotten.”

 

Former Colored School No. 4 is a three-story mid-block brick school building on West 17^th Street in the Chelsea neighborhood. Courtesy: LPC

"We do justice to the future only when every generation is aware of our painful segregated past,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. "Today's actions ensure that (Former) Colored School No. 4 stands as an enduring reminder of what was New York City's discriminatory history, while at the same time opening up the possibility of a just and equitable use in the years to come."

 

"Despite New York City's rich history of diversity and tolerance, (Former) Colored School No. 4 is an important marker of our city's struggle and evolution to become as tolerant as it is today," said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. "This additional funding for the building's rehabilitation and designation as a historic site displays the Adams administration’s commitment to keeping this painful part of our history in the public discourse so we do not go backwards in our values or commitment to equality and justice."

 

"The Department of Sanitation is proud of our role protecting New York City's neighborhoods, and in this case, that also means protecting a neighborhood's history," said DSNY Commissioner Tisch. "Mayor Adams has made a critical investment in preserving an important piece of Black history in New York City, and ‘New York's Strongest’ will do our part to make sure that future generations know both about the harm caused at this site and about the resilience of the New Yorkers who resisted it."

 

“(Former) Colored School No. 4 represents a difficult, and often overlooked, period in our city’s history, and in the ongoing pursuit of equity and social justice here in New York City,” said LPC Chair Carroll. “With today’s vote, LPC reaffirms its commitment to ensuring diversity in its designations as part of our equity framework, and to the importance of preserving the sites that tell the complete, and sometimes challenging, story of our city. I’d like to thank Mayor Adams and DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch for their support in ensuring that (Former) Colored School No. 4 will be preserved and protected for future generations.”

 

The (Former) Colored School No. 4 closed in 1894 but remained New York City property and was used for a variety of purposes, including by DSNY as a satellite office and locker facility, from 1936 through 2015. LPC and DSNY have collaborated throughout the designation and budgetary process, and the funding announced today by Mayor Adams will enable DSNY to stabilize and rehabilitate the building, which has been affected by water infiltration and general age-related deterioration. Engineering investigation and design work is currently underway, and the full rehabilitation is expected to be completed in 2027. DSNY will work with city agencies and local stakeholders to identify an appropriate long-term use for the facility, following the renovation.

 

(Former) Colored School No. 4 was constructed between 1849 and 1850 on West 17^th Street in Manhattan and became one of New York City’s racially segregated public “colored schools” in 1860. The school served the Black community that lived in Manhattan’s West Side until it closed in 1894.

 

The site remains an important reminder of the Black community’s commitment to education as they struggled with rampant discrimination in all aspects of their lives. During the post-Civil War era, New York City schools were an important avenue for social justice and civil liberties for the Black community, and laid the groundwork for future opportunities, as illustrated by the accomplishments of so many associated with (Former) Colored School No. 4.

 

Many of the school’s Black leaders, teachers, and students rose to prominence both during and following their time at (Former) Colored School No. 4, making their mark in education, music, transportation, public service, and social justice. Notable examples include the school’s principal, Sarah J.S. (Tompkins) Garnet, an ardent suffragist and champion of social justice who was one of the first Black female principals in the New York City public school system, and Susan Elizabeth Frazier, a graduate of the school who challenged New York City’s rules restricting African American teachers in segregated schools and who went on to become the first Black teacher assigned to an integrated public school.

 

(Former) Colored School No. 4 joins a group of important landmarks associated with Black history from the period surrounding the Civil War, including the Houses on Hunterfly Road, the First Free Congregational Church, Lamartine Place Historic District, and other homes of abolitionists in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Queens, and the (Former) Colored School No. 3 in Brooklyn.

 

 

Mayor Adams and New York City Councilmember Erik Bottcher tour Former Colored School No.4

 

Mayor Adams tours Former Colored School No.4

 

Attorney General James Recovers $100,000 From Wholesaler for Price Gouging Lysol Products During Pandemic

 

Quality King Increased Prices of Lysol Products by More Than 50 Percent During Pandemic’s Early Days

Nearly 1,500 New Yorkers Who Reported High Prices to OAG Will Receive Reimbursement

New York Attorney General Letitia James recovered $100,000 from a wholesale grocery and drug distributor, Quality King Distributors, Inc. (Quality King), for price gouging Lysol products at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the early days of the pandemic, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) received complaints from consumers of abnormally high prices for Lysol products, including Lysol Spray and Lysol Wipes. An OAG investigation found that Quality King, which distributes to retailers, drug stores, and local grocery stores in New York City and Long Island, increased prices of Lysol by more than 50 percent. New York’s price gouging statute prevents companies throughout the supply chain from increasing prices on essential goods and services during emergencies. This agreement resolves an earlier lawsuit against Quality King and requires the company to pay $100,000 to the state. Nearly 1,500 New Yorkers who reported high prices to OAG will receive reimbursement checks.

“As we were grappling with fear and uncertainty during the early days of the pandemic, Quality King took advantage of New Yorkers and jacked up prices on these essential products,” said Attorney General James. “Price gouging hurts consumers and small businesses and prevents people from getting critical goods in a time of crisis. We are putting money back into consumers' pockets and requiring Quality King to clean up its act. I thank the New Yorkers who raised these concerns to my office and enabled us to investigate, uncover the price gouging, and take action to hold Quality King accountable.”

The OAG received complaints from consumers in New York City and Long Island about excessive prices for Lysol products at their local stores, including drug and grocery stores, dollar stores, and bodegas. The OAG investigated local retailers and found that many of these small businesses were increasing the price of Lysol because they incurred significantly higher prices from the wholesaler, Quality King.  

The OAG found that Quality King raised its prices on Lysol products dramatically in the early months of 2020. For example, in February 2020, Quality King sold 19-ounce cans of Lysol Spray for $5.20 per can. Just five weeks later, Quality King increased the price to $8 per can, a 54 percent increase. In another example, in February 2020, Quality King sold 12-can Lysol cases to a dollar store in the Lower East Side for about $5 per can. When the store purchased Lysol from Quality King again in early April 2020, the price shot up to $9.08, nearly double the price. 

Quality King will pay $100,000 to New York within 30 days, of which $20,000 will be paid in penalties. Nearly 1,500 New Yorkers who filed complaints with OAG will each receive checks for approximately $10 in the mail for buying Lysol that was subject to price gouging. 

Today’s announcement continues Attorney General James’ work to stop price gouging and protect New York consumers. In March, Attorney General James announced price gouging rules to protect consumers and small businesses from corporate profiteering. The rules would strengthen enforcement of New York’s price gouging law. In December 2022, Attorney General James cautioned against price gouging ahead of a snowstorm that hit Western New York. In May 2022, Attorney General James issued warnings to more than 30 retailers across the state to stop overcharging for baby formula after consumers reported unreasonably high prices. In April 2021, Attorney General James secured an agreement with the nation’s largest egg producers for price gouging eggs in the early months of the pandemic. As a result of that agreement, Attorney General James delivered 1.2 million eggs to food pantries throughout the state to feed vulnerable New Yorkers.

New Yorkers should report potential concerns about price gouging to OAG by filing a complaint online or calling 800-771-7755.

Assemblymember John Zaccaro - Community Food Distribution THIS Friday

 

Dear Friends,

As part of our continued partnership with the Met Council, our community office is pleased to be hosting a community food distribution, details as follows:

When: Friday, May 26, 2023

Time: 1:00pm (while supplies last)

Where: District 80 Community Office 2018 Williamsbridge Rd

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact my community office at (718) 409-0109.

Looking forward to seeing everyone then.

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF NEW PROGRAM FOR OLDER NEW YORKERS WHO WANT TO WORK

 

‘Silver Corps’ Pilot Development Program Will Help Protect Older New Yorkers While Supporting Local Communities Simultaneously

Program to Provide Older Adults with Training for In-Demand Industries

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department for the Aging Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez today announced the launch of ‘Silver Corps’ — a new workforce development pilot program for older New Yorkers that will increase financial mobility among older adults, combat ageism in the workforce, and fill employment needs in local communities. The program will be funded by AmeriCorps Seniors and will make New York City one of just two municipalities in the nation that has received funding to develop and launch this type of pilot for older adults.

 

“Silver Corps is providing older New Yorkers the chance to develop new skills, continue their careers, and give back to their communities,” said Mayor Adams. “Our older New Yorkers have already given us so much to be proud of, so it’s time we give them new opportunities. The volunteers for this program are excited about the new ways they are contributing their skills and knowledge to our economy, and how they now more easily live independently, and we cannot wait to sign up new participants.”

 

“We know the demand is there among older New Yorkers who want to continue contributing to their communities and keep working, but too many times they are prevented because of ageist biases people have. The Silver Corps program will allow us to help even more older residents who need the support to enter the workforce, and we are pleased to launch this program to help them find employment,” said Department for the Aging Commissioner Cortés-Vázquez. “The community service portion of this program is also a key component. Being active as we get older is good for our bodies and minds, and participant of this program will benefit from exercising them both.”

 

“I commend the Department of Aging on their recent $4.5 million award, empowering older adults to prepare and reintegrate into the community and local economy through volunteerism and paid training and credentialing opportunities. This initiative will enable older adults to leverage their experience, talents, and skills in new high-need industries and sectors” said Lisette Nieves, president, Fund for the City of New York, and Board of Directors member, AmeriCorps. “Integrating older adults into the workforce is crucial for an equitable and inclusive post-pandemic economic recovery. It taps into their wealth of experience and wisdom, fostering intergenerational collaboration that fuels innovation and mentorship. Their contributions drive economic revitalization, boost productivity, and create a profound ripple effect beyond the workplace.”

 

“Partnering with these new grantees will strengthen AmeriCorps Seniors’ efforts to impact the communities we serve and enhance the lives of our volunteers in a new and tangible way,” said Atalaya Sergi, director, AmeriCorps Seniors. “We are excited to support older adults to use the skills they have and those they will develop to not only serve their community, but also find financial security and new purpose. Upon completion of their service, they will be prepared and supported to re-enter the workforce.”  

 

To become a Silver Corps program participant, New York City residents must be at least 55 years of age, currently unemployed or underemployed, willing to participate in skills training and specialized certification program, and volunteer a minimum of 10 hours per week at a nonprofit or city agency.

 

There are currently a dozen individuals enrolled as the first Silver Corps cohort. After participating in workshops on job readiness, financial knowledge, and digital literacy, they will perform community service projects at a local organization or at a city agency.

 

There are three tiers participants are placed in:

• Tier 1: Explorer – rapid attachment to employment that may not require a credential or training.
• Tier 2: Navigator – up to one year of credential attainment or occupation skills training is required.
• Tier 3: Voyager – more than one year of credential attainment or occupation skills training is required.

During the volunteer portion of the training, a small stipend is provided to participants, and job placement support services are available based on the person’s tier. The cohort recently began their volunteer positions in local organizations across the city, supporting their missions.

 

“R.A.I.N. is proud to partner with the New York City Department for the Aging Silver Corps Program funded by Americorps to help our older adults transition into an innovative workforce model that ensures their economic needs are being met,” said Dr. Anderson Torres, president and CEO, R.A.I.N. Total Care, Inc. “We believe this opportunity creates social impact and supports and sustains viable communities and legacy building of older adults. The benefits are multiple in achieving a sense of purpose, industry, and engagement, thus promoting overall wellness.”

 

“Older adults make great employees. Take the time to train properly and everyone wins, the clients, the older adults, and our economy,” said Harriet Blank, LCSW, director of Geriatric Services, Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services. “Let’s solve this work force crisis together with a human and humane touch.”

 

“I learned about Silver Corps during a presentation at the Commonpoint Queens Workforce Hub,” said Harriet Lehrer, member, Silver Corps. “The program immediately caught my attention, and I became very intrigued to explore its benefits. So far, I am in awe of all it has to offer.”

“Volunteering made me see life in a different light,” said Tony Lorenzo, member, Silver Corps.

 

To learn more about participating in the Silver Corps program, older New Yorkers can call Aging Connect at 212-AGING-NYC (212-244-6469) or email silvercorps@aging.nyc.gov.