Selfhelp is focused on building a brighter tomorrow for seniors in Queens. In June, the state Energy Research and Development Authority awarded $1 million to the Selfhelp Realty Group for a new all-electric senior housing project on its Flushing campus, joining the repurposed Parkway Hospital in Forest Hills as Selfhelp projects in development in the borough. For more than a quarter century, CEO Stuart C. Kaplan has spearheaded the organization’s commitment to programming and housing for older adults throughout the city.

When pundits discuss new Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s affordability policies, they talk about the benefits to his base of young supporters. They imagine how the call for cheaper groceries and rent freezes will help 20- and 30-somethings navigating early adulthood and parenthood.

Founded originally to serve Holocaust survivors, Selfhelp Community Services now offers a wide variety of care options to all older New Yorkers through home and community-based programs.

From my first exposure to politics, I was advised that the job of our representatives was to bring home the bacon or dollars to their districts. So, let’s acknowledge it is at least one measure of success. But should that still be considered a valid objective?

I love the Queens Night Market. It’s a wonderful way to try new dishes and revisit old favorites. I try to go multiple times each season and always bring friends so we can scatter to get food from around the world and share a meal together. I have happy memories of Nixtamal’s mole poblano, while the stews from Persian Eats and Emeye’s Ethiopian are delicious, just like the keema palata from Burmese Bites. Moon Man’s kue pancong is a great dessert—although I often sneak back to Persian Eats for their saffron ice cream!

The health of New Yorkers—especially our most vulnerable—depends on more than prescriptions and doctor visits. It depends on whether they have enough to eat, a roof over their head, and support to navigate the challenges of aging or disability.

Russell Lusak, Chief Operating Officer of Selfhelp Community Services, is the new chair of the board of directors of the Home Care Association of New York State (HCANYS), succeeding Michelle Mazzacco, Executive Vice President of St. Peter’s Partners Continuing Care, who has led the board since May 2023.

As New York City’s population fluctuates, one demographic remains a steadfast part of the city’s future: adults aged 60 and older. In Queens, our older adult population has grown significantly and become much more diverse over the past decade.

Selfhelp Community Services hosted its annual gala at Pier 60 last week, raising more than $1.4 million for services benefitting the lives of Holocaust survivors, homebound older adults, affordable housing for formerly homeless older adults and services for vulnerable New Yorkers. More than 500 supporters attended, including Congress Member Jerry Nadler, Marilu Galvez of ABC7, acting commissioner Ahmed Tigani of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Commissioner Molly Wasow Park of the Department of Social Services, among others.