North Hempsteads awarded $1 million for senior citizen program
The Town of North Hempstead has been awarded $1 million in federal funds for its Project Independence program, which had been in "danger of expiring," according to the office of Sen. Charles Schumer (D-New York).
The program offers services to roughly 50,000 seniors in the town, including for medical appointments and trips to the grocery store. It was launched in 2009, when Jon Kaiman was town supervisor.
The funding replaces a grant set to expire on Dec. 31, 2015, and funds the program for another three years.
A grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, covering Project Independence services, is no longer available. Officials became concerned after it was merged into a more competitive grant available to more transportation programs, officials have said.
"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," Schumer said in a news release.
"Transportation options are key to giving seniors their independence and enabling them to remain part of the community," Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said in the news release.
Scott Eidler is a deputy editor for the towns department at Newsday. Scott has worked at Newsday since 2012 and previously covered municipal government and education.
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