News & Media

Homecrest Community Services released a survey detailing Brooklyn residents' top priorities ahead of the 2025 election, gathering over 300 anonymous responses from low-income community members. The three primary concerns voters want the next Mayor to address are: Healthcare Accessibility, followed by Community Safety and Government Program Access. Homecrest's President and CEO noted the results underscore non-negotiable daily needs for families to live with dignity and hope.

NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams announced a historic $5 million capital funding initiative to repair and upgrade older adult centers citywide, improving safety and accessibility. With NYC’s older adult population rapidly growing, the investment will support infrastructure needs like bathrooms, HVAC systems, and accessibility features. Homecrest CEO Wai Yee Chan praised the initiative, noting that new upgrades will help centers better serve older adults and foster active, connected communities.

More than 100 residents, aged 14 to 96, attended Homecrest's new safety workshop series, Safe · Seen · Strong (3S), which is taught by William Kwok, Ed.D., and partnered with The Asian American Foundation and others. The interactive session focuses on personal safety and bystander intervention.

Participants practice skills like setting boundaries, creating distractions, and documenting incidents. Homecrest's goal is to expand the 3S initiative citywide to build mutual trust and ensure every Asian community member feels "safe, seen, and strong."

Homecrest Community Services' Sunset Park branch celebrated its first anniversary with a community event. Local elected officials joined the celebration, while staff inside the center continued their vital work assisting clients. Since opening, the center has helped thousands of residents with services ranging from SNAP benefits and housing to citizenship applications. The article emphasizes the center's commitment to providing respectful, ongoing support, which clients find invaluable. Future plans include creating more senior centers in the neighborhood.

Speaker Adrienne Adams, Council Member Hudson, and LiveOn NY called on Mayor Adams to increase funding for older adult services. At a citywide Day of Advocacy, they emphasized the need to invest in home-delivered meals, case management, and older adult center infrastructure. The Age Strong NYC campaign aims to combat potential federal cuts and ensure older New Yorkers, a fast-growing population, have access to essential services and can age with dignity.

A new bill, Int. 1134, aims to disaggregate race and ethnicity data into a three-tier system. Supported by various Asian American and MENA community groups, this bill would ensure more accurate data to address specific community needs in areas like education, healthcare, and language access, and to combat harmful stereotypes.

Legal Services NYC filed a federal lawsuit against NY's OTDA for failing to protect SNAP recipients from “skimming” theft due to outdated EBT cards. Plaintiffs demand secure chip cards and compensation for losses. Over 85,000 cases and $40M in stolen benefits were reported from 2023–2024. Advocates say the state lags behind others and must act urgently, especially since federal reimbursements ended in Dec. 2024, leaving millions at risk of food insecurity and financial harm.