QUEENS COUNTY – The Queens Care Society has been in existence for nearly three years, but many people still don’t know what this organization is or what it does.
The society is an advocacy group for seniors living in Queens County. The group’s role is to identify issues facing seniors in the area, sort out ways to solve these issues and work with other agencies in order to do this.
From the start, the society identified three major issues: public transportation, affordable rental housing and assistance to seniors facing household challenges.
To address the transportation issue, the Queens Care Society has surveyed the community, developed a business plan and established a permanent transportation agency – Queens County Transit. The society is ready to launch public transportation in Queens County as early as September 2018.
But funding is always a problem, and the financial support of the Region of Queens is crucial to the success of this initiative. On Feb. 27, Queens County Transit and facilitators Granite Solutions are scheduled to make a presentation to Region of Queens at 8:45 a.m. in council chambers. The society is hoping area residents will come to the session to learn more about the service and to show council the public supports this initiative.
Queens Care Society has also been working over the past two years to establish a community-based rental housing development for seniors in Queens County. It is the society’s goal to make it possible for members of the county’s aging population to have access to affordable rental community living in their own county.
The society has already established South Shore Helping Hands - a South Queens “chapter” of an initiative already in place in North Queens. Seniors, or those who are disabled in some way, that need help with a chore they feel is unsafe to do can call Helping Hands at 902-354-4789. People should leave a clear message, stating their name, phone number and request, and will receive a reply within 24 hours.
Queens Care Society is soon ready to “hand off” these initiatives to the agencies that will carry on the work. The society is looking forward to its next task: working toward improved long-term care facilities in Queens County.
For more information about Queens Care Society, visit https://www.facebook.com/queenscaresociety/.
