[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 85 (Thursday, June 25, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1224]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COMMEMORATING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SENIOR CITIZENS COORDINATING 
                          COUNCIL OF RIVERBAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 24, 1998

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to speak in praise of a group of 
people celebrating the 25th anniversary of working daily to address the 
needs of senior citizens who live at Co-op City in the Bronx. The 
Senior Citizens Coordinating Council on Riverbay, Inc. has taken as its 
mission to seek out and develop resources and services to meet the 
needs of the elderly in Co-op City, to facilitate service co-ordination 
between agencies, to establish a safety net of services for the 
vulnerable elderly, to advocate for seniors at all levels of decision 
making, and to organize, educate and empower seniors to act on their 
own behalf.
  This is a grass roots organization in the best sense, for it is made 
up of local people banding together to help themselves and others 
similarly situated. It was organized in 1973 as a non-profit 
organization to help the elderly in Co-op City, the largest co-
operative community in the world with more than 15,000 apartments and 
50,000 residents.
  SCCC was formed shortly after Co-op City opened to help the already 
large number of retired and those nearing retirement who had come to 
live in Co-op City. SCCC has organized programs targeting the homebound 
elderly and operates three centers for congregate meals to help the 90 
percent of the seniors in Co-op City who are in the low- to moderate-
income categories.
  I have worked with SCCC and find it an exemplary model of a helping 
organization; one that is run locally by people from the community to 
help their neighbors.

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