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Media and Public Relations

Contact: Lucy Garrido-Mota, 718-722-6204

May 11, 2007

Statement of: Donna Corrado, Chief Operating Officer

ST. MARY’S SENIOR CENTER CONSOLIDATION AND TRANSITION

After decades of service in Long Island City, Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens with the New York City Department for the Aging have made the difficult but necessary decision to no longer provide services from St. Mary’s Senior Center after June 29, 2007.

In the past five years, the number of seniors accessing services at the center has declined significantly. Today, St. Mary’s Senior Center has gone from serving 100 seniors to 30 seniors a day. This has to do with the changing landscape of Long Island City; seniors are leaving the neighborhood, and young professionals and families are moving in. In addition, the St. Mary’s Senior Center is housed in a building that is over 100 years old, the cost of maintaining and upgrading it is prohibitive.

Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens understands that the consolidation will be a major adjustment for our seniors, for whom the center is a home away from home. Our existing transportation services will focus on the needs of Long Island City seniors, providing them access to shopping, medical appointments and transportation to other senior centers. Service to homebound clients will not be interrupted by this change; they will continue to receive Meals-On-Wheels and other assistance.

Through the transition process, Catholic Charities will help to acquaint seniors with several neighboring senior centers, so that they can choose the center where they feel most at home.

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