Category Archives: SAGE
NYC Opens Stonewall House LGBT Senior Housing
Stonewall House in Brooklyn, NY is the city’s first LGBT-welcoming senior housing opened recently. Its population will be roughly 50 per cent LGBT and 50 per cent straight.
Occupying the prominent corner of Myrtle Avenue and St. Edwards Street in Fort Greene, Stonewall House is the largest LGBT-welcoming elder housing development in the country. The 17-story mixed-use building will consist of 124,000 SF containing 145 apartments and a 6,800 SF SAGE community facility space on the ground floor.
The massing of the building, using brick as a design feature, abuts the existing St. Edwards and St. Michael’s church rectory to the north and steps down from the corner of Myrtle and St. Edwards with three setbacks that provide common outdoor roof terraces. A cantilevered canopy marks the entry to the SAGE space off Myrtle Avenue and the residential entry off St. Edwards Street. ISR reconnects the Stonewall House campus and holds the corner, creating a safer and friendlier sidewalk experience.
50th Anniversary of Stonewall Inn
The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (SIGBI), the official 501(c)3 of the Stonewall Inn, announced that it will host its annual PRIDE reception on Monday, June 4th at the historic Stonewall Inn.
Launched in 2017, SIGBI is inspired by the struggles and ideals of the LGBTQ rights movement born from the Stonewall Inn Rebellion of 1969 though its awareness campaigns, educational programming, fundraising and candid public dialogue.
“We are excited to once again partner with Jet Blue and Brooklyn Brewery to support The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative. The Initiative supports grass roots organizations across the country and especially those in places where equality has been slow to arrive.” Said Stacy Lentz, Co-owner of the Stonewall Inn and CEO of the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative. “With their generous support the Initiative is able to do the much-needed work of helping some of the most undeserved LGBTQ communities.”
This year, in response to the devastating hurricane in Puerto Rico, SIGBI will highlight the work of Proyecto Matria www.proyectomatria.org, which works to advance the equity of LGBTQ communities from two areas: human rights activism and the offering of services in the field of economic development and housing. Matria also has educational programs to train other organizations, public agencies and communities on how to stop discrimination against LGBTQ people and create safe spaces from an equity perspective.
SIGBI will also announce two major campaigns:
The inaugural Stonewall Auction, running now through June 12th on Charitybuzz is offering once in a lifetime celebrity experiences and items for bid, https://bit.ly/2J1ztNZ . Also, the Stonewall Inn Ambassadors, a cohort of activists, celebrities, and influencers, who will work together to elevate awareness and support for SIGBI over the next 12 months and through the 50th anniversary of Stonewall on June 28, 2019. Stonewall Inn Ambassadors include Chelsea Clinton, Bryan Lourd, Laverne Cox, Robbie Rogers, Geena Rocero and Cleve Jones. Please see full list at the end of this release. www.stonewallinitiative.org/new-index/
Both campaigns are programs of Pride Live Nation, www.pridelivenation.org.
During the reception, there will be a performance by Michael Blume and remarks by featured speaker Chely Wright.
Indie/soul artist Michael Blume has released his latest songs “R U Mad” and “Blunder” – from his upcoming EP Cynicism &Sincerity, which will be out June 8th via S-Curve Records. The songs are available now at all digital music outlets, including Spotify, Apple/iTunes, and Amazon……
See the new video! (PRESS HERE to watch)
The forthcoming EP release comes following a whirlwind year for Blume. Since arriving on the scene in 2015, New York-based singer, songwriter, and artist Michael Blume has consistently delivered daring, diverse, and dynamic anthems blurring the lines between simmering and soaring. He’s attracted acclaim from Rolling Stone, GQ, Nylon, Ladygunn, Pigeons & Planes, Earmilk, and Dujour and turned the uninitiated into believers at Governor’s Ball, Firefly, Lollapalooza, and will be performing at the Bonnaroo Music Arts Festival on June 10th.
Chely Wright www.chely.com rose to fame as a commercial country singer in the 90’s and has since released eight studio albums and charted more than 15 singles on the Billboard charts. The Academy of Country Music named Wright “Top New Female Vocalist of 1995.”
About Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative
The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative is inspired by the struggles and ideals of the LGBTQ rights movement born from the Stonewall Inn Rebellion of 1969. Through awareness campaigns, educational programming, fundraising and candid public dialogue, The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative supports grassroots organizations across the country with a focus on those in communities where progress toward equality has been slow and discrimination, harassment, substance abuse, depression and suicide have become an unacceptable way of life. You can donate to SIGBI by visiting: www.stonewallinitiative.org/donate/
Exergamers NYC: Senior Centers connect online for first-ever Xbox Bowling Competition
Many of New
York’s innovative senior centers have begun exergaming by offering Zumba
dancing and bowling with Microsoft Kinect for Xbox. Classes and friendly competitions have taken
place within the senior centers and between them.
·
Participating
senior centers reflected some of New York City’s most innovative and diverse
senior centers. In fact, the sites that competed in the virtual bowling league
included the Services
& Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) Center,
Selfhelp Benjamin Rosenthal Senior Center, and the VISIONS/Services
for the Blind and Visually Impaired center.
o
SAGE: Services
& Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) is the country’s largest and oldest
organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) older adults.
o
SelfHelp
Community Services Inc.: For the past 70-plus years, Selfhelp Community Services, Inc., a
non-profit organization, has been dedicated to enabling seniors and at-risk
families to live in their own homes, independently and with dignity. Selfhelp serves seniors in Flushing, Queens, which
is one of the most ethnically diverse areas of New York.
o
VISIONS: Celebrating
its 87th year of service, VISIONS assists people of all ages who are blind or
visually impaired to lead independent and active lives in their homes and
communities; and educate the public to understand the capabilities and needs of
people who are blind or visually impaired
Third Party Research
·
According
to a study by the American Journal of Preventive
medicine in February 2012, exercise may prevent or delay dementia. However, only 14 percent of adults aged 65
to 74 years and 7 percent of those over 75 years exercise regularly.
In
a public/private partnership that builds upon the past success of New York
City’s first Virtual Senior Center, created in 2010, the Department for the
Aging (DFTA) and the Department of Information Technology &
Telecommunications (DoITT) teamed up again with Microsoft to launch the very
first Kinect for Xbox virtual bowling match. The interactive competition will
take place between two of DFTA’s Innovative Senior Centers (ISC) – The SAGE
Center, the first LGBT senior center in the city, and
Selfhelp, the city’s first virtual senior center. A third ISC – VISIONS, the
City’s first Innovative Senior Center for blind and visually-impaired seniors,
will also host an exhibition of its Kinect program.
“Technology
is rapidly changing the way we perform even the most routine activities and it
is important that we promote digital inclusion,” said NYC Department for the
Aging Commissioner Lilliam Barrios-Paoli. “We must make sure our seniors are
actively engaged with technology, whether it is social media, a discussion with
family over Skype, or through an email with a loved one. When we can have our
seniors not only embrace technology, but also have it benefit their physical
wellbeing, it’s a win-win for everyone involved.”
“‘Exergamers
NYC’ is a shining example of how the City can use its public-private technology
partnerships to help New Yorkers – in this case our seniors – connect with
innovative solutions to improve their quality of life,” said DoITT Citywide Chief
Information and Innovation Officer Rahul N. Merchant. “The Bloomberg
Administration is committed to using technology to better serve New Yorkers.
Through this program we are collectively providing more opportunities for
seniors to engage with readily available technology to boost activity, social
interaction, and overall wellbeing.”
READ MORE at the Department of Aging
SAGE Cuts Ribbon on New Space – Expanding Vital Services Citywide for LGBT Older Adults
Yesterday,SAGE welcomed
friends and supporters,
including New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Calamus Foundation Board Chair Louis Bradbury, to celebrate the unveiling of its new office. This space will be dedicated primarily to expanding SAGE’s services and programs to the thousands of LGBT older adults who live in New York City.
SAGE was able to acquire the space due to a generous award of capital funds from the New York City Council, the Manhattan Borough President and the Calamus Foundation, reflecting a growing faith among government and philanthropic leaders about the importance of improving the lives of LGBT older adults around the city, and the country.
“This seed money from our city and the Calamus Foundation is an important vote of confidence in SAGE’s mission and in our ability to successfully manage our resources and to build an effective, sustainable organization,” said Michael Adams, executive director of SAGE. “Now, for the first time in our 32-year history, SAGE owns a permanent home that LGBT older adults can rely on now and in the future.”
The new space will be built out over the coming months and will be designed to ensure optimal program delivery to meet LGBT elders’ most critical needs. SAGE is currently seeking additional funding to complete the project.
THIS WEEKEND – there is a conference and expo –
CUNY GRADUATE CENTER, NEW YORK CITY 365 FIFTH AVENUE (AT 34TH STREET)
WE ARE A DIVERSE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITY.
WE ARE THE EXPERTS ON OUR LIVES.
WE ARE THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF LGBT AGING
Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) is the world’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBT older adults. SAGE has pioneered programs and services for the aging LGBT community, provided technical assistance and training to expand opportunities for LGBT older people across the country, and provided a national voice on LGBT aging issues. In 2005, SAGE became the first official LGBT delegate at the White House Conference on Aging. In 2010, SAGE was awarded a three-year $900,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Administration on Aging to establish the nation’s only National Resource Center on LGBT Aging.
Learn more at sageusa.org .
SAGE’s 3rd Annual Health Fair LGBT Older Adults
SAGE’s 3rd Annual
Health Fair for
LGBT Older Adults
At the LGBT Community Center
208 West 13th Street
- Exercise workshops
- Free giveaways
- Snack Stations
Free to all, no registration required For information call 212-741-2247
Or e-mail mmatthews@sageusa.org
