Town of North Hempstead Awarded $1M in Federal Funding for Seniors

The Town of North Hempstead is the recipient of nearly $1 million in federal funding to help provide vital services to over 50,000 local seniors for the next three years, North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth and the Town Board announced Thursday.

The Town and Sen. Chuck Schumer called on the Department of Transportation to renew its commitment to North Hempstead’s Project Independence (P.I.) transportation program, which was in danger of expiring at the end of this year.

“Transportation options are key to seniors as they maintain their independence and remain part of the community,” Bosworth said in a statement. “This funding will provide a better quality of life for every senior in the Town of North Hempstead by enabling the Town to provide seniors with rides to the grocery store or to the doctor.”

Project Independence:

• Provides seniors with transportation to supermarkets, doctor appointments and other senior organizations and activities throughout the town.
• Provides seniors-in-need with community social work and nursing services at P.I. satellite offices and home visits.
• Enables seniors to stay in their own homes instead of entering assisted living or nursing home facilities. This aging-in-place concept saves the federal government millions a year, the Town reports.

“This is such a crucial program because it allows seniors to ‘age in place,’ which ultimately keeps neighborhoods stable, seniors active and saves the feds money in the long run,” Senator Schumer said in a statement.

P.I. has become even more crucial following the recent shutdown of the nonprofit, Federal Employment and Guidance Services. About 2,000 North New Hyde Park residents who once relied on FEGS have been taken on by P.I.

For more information about Project Independence or any other Town program, call 311.

Image via TONH: Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth and U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer join seniors from Project Independence on a Town bus.