As we prepare to ring in the New Year, what better way to celebrate than by reflecting on all we have accomplished together through collaboration with our community partners, volunteers, and supporters who help us better serve older adults across Erie County.
Cheers to an even brighter 2026!
Connecting with Older Adults in Erie County
- 21,000+ residents assisted through NY Connects, Information & Assistance, and outreach
- 1,398 individuals helped enroll in benefits
- 2,610 benefit applications filed
- 1,849 referrals for meals, caregiving, home care, and case management
- 157 outreach events (NY Connects & HEAP)
- Provided Case Management services to 3,531 individuals
- Funded Home-Delivered Meals for 2,893 individuals
- Supplied Personal Emergency Response Systems to 688 individuals
- Assisted 543 individuals in accessing in-home services
Transportation Supporting Independence
- 44,216 one-way trips provided
- 21,838 medical • 9,928 social/volunteer • 8,339 food & nutrition
- 4,500+ active transportation clients
- 500+ new clients added in 2025
- 3 Mini Vans added to fleet
- 2 wheelchair-accessible vehicles added with 4 more arriving in 2026
Nutrition
- 344,000+ meals served
- 186,000+ Stay Fit Dining congregate lunch meals
- 158,000+ Stay Fit Dining frozen meals
- Expanded frozen meal access across Erie County
- Commercial dishwashers installed at 6 dining sites
- Reusable dishware introduced at 9 sites, reducing waste and costs
Healthy Aging and Lifelong Learning
- 36,000+ total touchpoints in Club 99 fitness & dance programs (repeat involvement)
- 300+ older adults engaged in fall prevention programs
- New health programs launched: Walk With Ease, Cooking with SASS, Diabetes Prevention
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University Express:
750+ classes offered across 28 senior centers & libraries
175+ topics in health, history, arts, law, and technology
22 different free community field trip experiences
19,600+ participants
Caregiver Support
- 337 family caregivers supported through the National Family Caregiver Support
- Program, with 100 caregivers receiving an average of 104 days of respite per year
- 2,500+ hours of respite provided through adult day programs, in-home care, and overnight nursing facility stays
- 269 care consultations completed, plus safety devices and legal connections for caregivers
- ECMC partnership impact: 183 caregiver referrals with only one unnecessary hospital readmission, demonstrating reduced strain on families and the healthcare system
Community, Volunteers & Investment
- 400 active volunteers in RSVP; over 50 new volunteers recruited
- 300 attendees at annual Elder Law Day & 140 at Live Well Erie Event
- 111 community agencies under contract
- $763,043 in grant funding supporting expanded services
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