Thanks to strong leadership by the NYS Assembly, Title XX funds, which have been used to fund New York City senior centers, has been restored. I spoke out strongly in favor of this restoration as closing senior centers would dramatically impact the lives of so many in the elderly community. We can't balance the state budget by cutting services to vulnerable citizens during this economic downturn. We must protect those who have made lifelong contributions to our communities and continue providing them the services they need and deserve.

I voted in favor of the Assembly budget that rejected the plan to strip $36 million in Title XX discretionary funding from the centers - which had the potential to force 105 senior centers to close their doors. In order to eliminate the state's $10 billion deficit, difficult decisions have to be made, but I believed strongly that they should not come at the expense of Brooklyn seniors. Funding will ensure that thousands of seniors won't lose essential services provided by the centers, including nutritious meals, health and wellness activities and socialization.

The final budget, signed by the governor, allows New York City to continue using discretionary funding to support local senior centers and keep them open. Now it is up to Mayor Bloomberg and the New York City Council to apply these funds to the senior centers -- I encourage constituents to contact the Mayor and your City Council representatives to show support for senior centers.

In April Assemblywoman Millman attended the RAICES Healthy & Secure Computer Training Program graduation. The eight-week program is administered by the RAICES Times Plaza Senior Center at 460 Atlantic Avenue thanks to the tireless efforts of Antonio Barrios, Jose Ortiz Ortiz, Rosemary Bland and Suyapa Blanco. The graduates learned how to use Microsoft Word and the Internet so they could send emails to family members around the world. RAICES serves 500 seniors and as of today about 20% of those seniors have successfully passed the computer training program.

A free shuttle to Fairway Market, which I coordinate with Fairway, is resuming for the season. After the closing of two large supermarkets in Carroll Gardens and Brooklyn Heights, it became difficult, particularly for seniors, to do their food shopping. In turn, the Fairway Market in Red Hook is hard to get to because of a lack of public transportation. Two free buses pick up shoppers from three points in my district, take them to Fairway and return them to the pick up point.

The service began on April 28 when shoppers were picked up at 10 AM at the Eileen Dugan Senior Center at 380 Court Street and then at 10:30 AM at the St. Charles Jubilee Center at 55 Pierrepont Street - this shuttle will run every three weeks on Thursdays through November 17. The bus also picks up shoppers in Concord Village at 10 AM in front of 215 Adams Street in Brooklyn Heights beginning May 5, 2011 - this bus will also run every 3 weeks on Thursdays through November 3. Anyone of any age is welcome to come to Fairway on the buses.

I am partnering with State Senator Daniel Squadron to present our Annual Senior Resource Fair at St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights (Between Court and Clinton Streets), on Friday, June 24th from 11 AM-2 PM. This free fair will offer seniors the chance to find information and assistance from a host of organizations which offer programs and services for seniors. These will include the New York City Department for the Aging, Access-A-Ride, Social Security, Reduced Fare Metrocards, the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services, Free blood pressure, hearing and vision tests and much more! We welcome all participants and there is no need to pre-register. There will be free giveaways and light refreshments.