NEW YORK—The New Year heralded a new vision for blind or visually impaired senior citizens. The Department for the Aging and VISIONS is the nation’s first Innovative Senior Center.
VISIONS is the first of eight community-based service providers to open an innovation center funded by the Bloomberg administration as part of the Age-friendly NYC program—a citywide effort of $3.5 million and 59 initiatives.
Braving the cold to attend, members of Congress, City Hall officials, and 150 blind or visually impaired seniors packed the house to celebrate the Jan. 3 opening.
The center will provide cutting-edge programs and improve existing services from VISIONS, a nonprofit organization that provides rehabilitation and training for blind citizens. The cornerstone of the center will be the provision of five free meals a week, aiding 250 blind seniors from the arduous job of preparing a daily meal.
“It'll help me and everyone here, because everyone can’t cook!” said Viola Borden, an 80-year-old visually impaired senior.
