HCR Total Investment of $500,000 for Improvements and Upgrades Allow
Organization to Expand Programs and Services, Better Serve More than 1,500 People Per Year
with Disabilities throughout the Capital Region
New York State Homes and Community Renewal and the Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley today announced that the final phase of the Center’s $900,000 renovation is complete, allowing the organization to expand and better serve more than 1,500 people each year seeking support for a variety of physical, intellectual, and emotional disabilities. The work was accomplished with $500,000 from HCR and made the building more accessible and sustainable.
RuthAnne Visnauskas, Commissioner of New York State Homes and Community Renewal said, “Congratulations to the Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley and to people with disabilities throughout the Capital Region who will benefit from the Center’s enhanced accessibility and space, and have a greater opportunity to live independently and thrive in their communities. Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, HCR is investing in projects that improve quality of life and increase opportunities for all New Yorkers to create supportive communities with strong economic foundations.”
The HCR investments included:
- A $150,000 award in 2012 allowed the organization to replace an elevator with a warped wooden door and heavy iron gate, with one that meets the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act and allowed clients to access all three floors independently and safely.
- A $150,000 award in 2013 allowed ILCHV to renovate the building’s third floor—a cavernous empty space with broken windows and broken floors—into three offices and a Wellness Center. It now serves as space for Open Doors, a program that transitions people living in nursing homes and large institutions into their own apartments, and an area for accessible exercise equipment and health and exercise classes.
- A $200,000 award in 2015 enabled ILCHV to replace outdated air conditioning, heating units, and windows with energy efficient equipment. It also helped create two offices and a conference room, resulting in more client confidential space for direct services and support groups.
In addition, ILCHV was awarded $269,500 in funding by way of the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York’s (DASNY) Nonprofit Infrastructure Capital Investment Program (NICIP). An initiative established by Governor Cuomo, NICIP invests in projects throughout the state that will improve or maintain the quality, efficiency, accessibility and reach of nonprofit human services organizations providing direct services to New Yorkers.
“DASNY is delighted to assist organizations that are truly making a difference in their local communities, such as the Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley,” said Gerrard P. Bushell, President and CEO of DASNY. “Providing organizations that support our most vulnerable neighbors with funding opportunities not only enables them to enhance their facilities and expand their reach, it is an essential component to keeping New York’s economy soaring.”
The organization celebrated the grand opening of its newly renovated space with a ribbon cutting and dedication today, and an opening reception that included the unveiling of a client-created mixed media art project: I am Able: What I Love About Me. The mixed media project was partially funded through the decentralization program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts.
About New York State Homes and Community Renewal
NYS Homes and Community Renewal’s (HCR) housing and community development agencies work to create, preserve and improve affordable homes and vibrant communities. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s commitment to providing all New Yorkers with access to safe, affordable housing is reflected in the State’s unprecedented $20 billion, five-year Housing Plan, which makes housing accessible and combats homelessness by building and preserving 112,000 units of affordable housing, including 6,000 supportive apartments. The plan is a far-reaching approach to statewide housing issues and includes investing in multifamily and single-family housing, furthering community development strategies, and preserving rent stabilization. more information on HCR agencies, programs and initiatives, please visit: http://www.nyshcr.org/
About DASNY
DASNY (Dormitory Authority of the State of New York) is among the nation’s largest issuers of low-cost, tax-exempt bonds and one of its largest public builders with the unique ability to manage the procurement and purchasing of items such as scientific, health and security equipment. DASNY is New York’s developer, creating the health, education and scientific facilities that form the backbone of inclusive, sustainable communities and help them compete on the global stage.
About Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley
Established thirty years ago, the Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley is a community based non-profit, non-residential organization dedicated to helping people with disabilities gain independence. ILCHV is peer-run, with most of the staff and board of directors are persons with disabilities. ILCHV is a cross-disability organization, serving individuals whose disabilities affect hearing, seeing, walking, learning, and mental health. ILCHV also serves people whose disabilities may be hidden, such as those with HIV or diabetes. Services provided include, but are not limited to:
- Information and referral
- Peer advocacy
- Outreach to nursing homes and other institutional settings with assistance provided to move to a less restrictive environment including to their own apartments
- Assistance securing benefits, and information on how returning to work affects benefits
- Employment assistance including interviewing skills, resume writing, job seeking assistance and how to manage in the workforce
- Independent Living Skills training including managing finances, budgeting, and utilizing community resources;
- Consumer Directed Personal Care Assistance, enabling consumers to hire and manage their own personal care assistants while ILCHV acts as the fiscal intermediary between Medicaid and the consumer
- Navigation services which assist consumers in applying for health insurance and advocating for them to ensure they receive all the benefits for which they are entitled
- Activities promoting health and wellness including modified exercise programs, healthy eating, yoga, Zumba and dance, meditation, training on living healthy with chronic conditions, and participation in art
In addition to direct services ILCHV addresses systemic barriers to independence. Through education, technical assistance, and advocacy, ILCHV promotes changes that ensure equal access for all, regardless of the presence of a disability.