Twice a month, the Yonkers NNORC gathers at Crestwood Library and Grinton I. Will Library to meet with and connect seniors to services. In addition to these free consultations, NNORC co-sponsors cultural celebrations and activities that allow seniors to continue to lead full lives and age with purpose.
The Yonkers NNORC, which stands for Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community, endeavors to support seniors' ability to maintain their quality of life and independence while aging in place and staying connected to their neighborhood.
For the Yonkers NNORC team - Program Director Valerie Litt, Community Resource Specialist Alexis Smith, and Nurse Mary Jenkins - they find joy in assisting local seniors.
“I’ve always enjoyed helping people," Alexis says. Valerie affirms her colleagues' sentiment and adds, “I’ve gravitated to helping seniors. I am a social worker by background, and the NNORC helps us reach more people than we typically would be able to through grant funding from the New York State Office for the Aging and Westchester Jewish Community Services.”
When it comes to services that NNORC provides, they offer referrals for everything from healthcare management, family caregiving support, and transportation and technology assistance to community engagement activities, online art and fitness programs and even robotic pets.
Most recently, NNORC held a Diwali celebration at Crestwood Library in Yonkers that included dancers, food, music, and decorative elements that symbolized the rich traditions of the festival of lights. Valerie commented, “It was a wonderful program that everyone seemed to love.”
In a time marked by feelings of lingering isolation and disconnectedness in a post-pandemic world, NNORC aims to embrace seniors living in our community to encourage them to continue living life to the fullest.
“Our tagline is ‘Aging With a Purpose,’” says Valerie. “We want to make sure our seniors don’t just remain in the home, but continue to flourish.” While NNORC serves neighborhoods in Yonkers between Central Park Avenue and the Bronx River Parkway, as well as a portion of Tuckahoe Road, they are eager to connect with even more senior residents in the community.
“There’s a large concentration of seniors in our region, and, right now, we only know around 150 of them. Our hope is to spread the word and engage even more seniors to get them the resources they need,” Valerie says.
NNORC and the Yonkers Public Library is a natural partnership. Both the Crestwood and Will branches are accessible hubs for community members of all ages and backgrounds.
“We’re proud partners with the Yonkers Library System. They not only provide us with a place to hold programs, but they provide us with the resources we need to give seniors exciting, engaging experiences,” Valerie says.
This holiday season, we encourage you to give the gift of Yonkers NNORC by connecting with or referring people to this valuable community agency. For more information on NNORC and the services they provide, call (914) 391-1323, email Valerie Litt at vlitt@wjcs.com or visit the Yonkers NNORC Website You can also visit Yonkers Public Library website to check our calendar of events to find out when NNORC will be at your local branch next.
Join Yonkers NNORC in person on Friday, December 15 at 1pm at Crestwood Library for a year end wrap up Holiday party!
Written by: Nora-Grayce Orosz
Nora-Grayce Orosz is a part-time page at Crestwood Library. She is a Yonkers (born and raised) freelance writer and social media manager and has fostered a lifelong love of reading.