named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Advocacy Day
Annual grassroots event in Albany where hundreds of older New Yorkers meet with state legislators to advocate for senior services funding and policy changes.
Patient Advocates Program
Provides education and support to Medicare beneficiaries on appealing hospital or nursing home discharges and quality-of-care complaints.
Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP)
Prevents Medicare and Medicaid fraud through volunteer education and outreach; holds monthly virtual meetings for volunteers across New York State.
Seniorama Health and Information Fair
Annual health and information fair for seniors held in Ogdensburg, NY, connecting older adults with service providers and resources.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Senior Advocacy and Civic Engagement 2 activities
- Advocacy for state and federal policies affecting seniorsEngages in sustained advocacy on issues impacting older New Yorkers, including Medicare, Social Security, prescription drugs, long-term care, patient's rights, and state budget priorities. Organizes campaigns, action alerts, and direct lobbying efforts to influence legislation and funding decisions.
- Organizing annual Advocacy Day in AlbanyOrganizes and leads an annual Advocacy Day event in Albany where several hundred older New Yorkers meet with state Assembly and Senate representatives to advocate for senior services and policy changes.
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Healthcare Delivery Networks and Coalitions 1 activity
- Capacity building through regional health task forcesEstablished eight Central New York Health Task Forces in partnership with the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York to address systemic healthcare delivery issues in the region.
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Centralized Community Federation Support 1 activity
- Funding and management of Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) programSecured and administers the SMP State Project Grant from the Administration for Community Living (2023–2028) to prevent Medicare and Medicaid fraud among seniors in New York State, including operating a helpline and volunteer network.
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Medicare Counseling and Assistance 1 activity
- Providing health services, education, and direct support to seniorsProvides direct services including health fairs, educational webinars on Medicare and care quality, and outreach on Medicare Part D and EPIC. Hosts monthly virtual meetings for Senior Medicare Patrol volunteers and conducts helpline support and in-person meetings with seniors.
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Policy Advocacy & Research 1 activity
- Research and dissemination of economic security data for older adultsServed as lead organization in the rollout of the New York State Elder Economic Security Index, providing data and analysis on the financial well-being of seniors.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.30M
Contributions & grants$2.30M100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$2K0%
Other revenue$1K
expenses
Total expenses$2.33M
Program expenses86%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$1.29M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$838K
Cash$359K
Investments$0
Liabilities$317K
Net assets$521K
Liquid reserves1.9 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +14.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maria Alvarez | Executive Director | 50 | $127K |
board members · 23
- Ann Converso — Vice President 2nd
- B Pyne Bertsche — Director
- Barbara McBurnie — Secretary
- Bob Sinacore — Director
- Claire O'Brien — Director
- Dorothy Lafoon — Director
- Eileen Letzeiser — Director
- Eustene Corbin — Vice President 1st
- Evette Weeks — Director
- Helen Edelstein — President
- Helen Sanders — Director
- Henry Moss — Director
- Jacynth Stewart — Director
- Kathy Skelly — Director
- Laura Jandrew — Director
- Mario Henry — Treasurer
- Martha Steuding — Director
- Mary Ann Hildebrandt — Asst Treasurer
- Mary Degon — Director
- Michele Rogers — Asst Secretary
- Richard Poplaski — Director
- Susan Burns — Director
- Susan Schrader — Director
relationships · 26
Who they work with
- 2-1-1 Partner — Partner in pioneering a telehealth access initiative with Wi-Fi at community sites
- AARP Partner — Collaborates with AARP on advocacy efforts, including federal anti-scam legislation.
- Administration for Community Living Government — Grant-funding agency for the Senior Medicare Patrol program and SMP State Project Grant
- BWICA: Brooklyn Wide Interagency Council on Aging Partner — Co-sponsors or coordinates with BWICA for interagency collaboration on aging issues in Brooklyn.
- Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Partner — Partnered with the Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging on the 2024 NYS Elder Economic Security Index report.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Government — Collaborates with CMS to disseminate information about Medicare beneficiary updates and surveys.
- Chuck Grassley Government — Senator who co-chairs the US Senate Special Committee on Aging; referenced in context of senior policy engagement.
- Collaborating Organizations Partner — Partners with organizations to provide expert information and counseling on patient rights, Medicare, and EPIC benefits.
- Commence Health Partner — Collaborates with Commence Health, a Medicare Beneficiary and Family Centered Care Quality Improvement Organization, to provide educational programming on patient advocacy.
- Department of Health and Human Services Government — Funding agency for the SMP State Project Grant
- Franklin County Office for the Aging Partner — Partner in organizing the NYS Home Care Crisis Campaign
- Health Foundation for Western & Central New York Partner — Collaborates with the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York on policy advocacy related to Medicaid and older adults.
- Health Foundation for Western & Central New York Partner — Partner in establishing eight Central New York Health Task Forces
- Kirsten Gillibrand Government — Senator who invited the organization to testify at a Senate hearing on aging.
- Mercy Care of the Adirondacks Partner — Partner in organizing the NYS Home Care Crisis Campaign
- Office of Governor Kathy Hochul Government — Engages with the Governor's office through participation in and response to the State of the State address and advocacy efforts.
- Office of Governor Kathy Hochul Government — Engages with the Governor's policy agenda through monitoring and response to the State of the State address.
- State of New York Government — Engages with state legislative bodies and the Governor's office to influence policy and budget decisions for senior services.
- Susan Collins Government — Senator who co-chairs the US Senate Special Committee on Aging; referenced in context of senior policy engagement.
- U-MASS Partner — Partner in the rollout of the New York State Elder Economic Security Index
- U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Partner — Partnered with Senator Gillibrand on advocacy for federal anti-scam legislation.
- US Senate Special Committee on Aging Government — Participated in a hearing as a witness organization on senior wellness.
- University of Chicago Partner — Partners with CMS and supports dissemination of information about the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey conducted by the University of Chicago.
- WOW Partner — Partner in the rollout of the New York State Elder Economic Security Index
- library system Partner — Partner in pioneering a telehealth access initiative with Wi-Fi at community sites
- member dues Government — Source of funding for programs serving seniors
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Coalition-Based Systems Advocacymethodology: coalition-based_advocacyBy building broad coalitions of service providers, we advocate for systemic solutions to structural challenges like home care workforce shortages because collective action strengthens policy influence and enables scalable reform.
- Consumer-Governed Organization Modelmethodology: grassroots_organizationBy operating as a consumer-directed and grassroots-governed organization, we ensure that senior voices directly shape programs and advocacy efforts because self-governance fosters relevance, trust, and sustained engagement in organizational priorities.
- Grassroots Advocacy Modelmethodology: grassroots_advocacyBy mobilizing older adults as direct advocates to engage with legislators and elected officials, we influence state and federal policy decisions because peer-driven advocacy increases political accountability and amplifies authentic senior voices in shaping legislation.
- Integrated Support Services for Senior Wellnessmethodology: integrated_support_servicesBy combining health services, education, and advocacy, we improve quality of life for low-income and minority seniors because integrated support addresses interconnected social and health determinants simultaneously.
- Policy Advocacy for Social Equity and Healthmethodology: policy-advocacyBy participating in federal policy discussions and promoting the link between health and social equity, we advance senior wellness because systemic policy change creates broader, more sustainable improvements in population health outcomes.