Center for Senior Services

Senior Advocacy and Housing

Few contemporary issues are more critical than the aging of the population. Recognizing that senior citizens remain valued members of our community, B’nai B’rith has a leading role in providing senior housing and advocating for the issues that affect older adults.

B’nai B’rith International is a leader in the Jewish community’s approach to aging issues through the B’nai B’rith Center for Senior Services. With our first housing partnership with HUD launched in 1971, and with 37 buildings in 28 communities, we are the largest national Jewish sponsor of subsidized housing in the United States. But we don’t just build senior housing—CSS staff support training and programs for the residents, building staff and board members that make up our Housing Network.

Working with our members and supporters throughout the United States, our Senior Advocacy work advances B’nai B’rith’s agenda on a range of seniors’ issues—including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, funding for the aging services network and any Federal programs that affect the day-to-day lives of older adults living in the U.S.—to policy makers in Washington, D.C., and across the country.

People Helping People: The Story of B’nai B’rith Senior Housing

“It should be noted that the B’nai B’rith Senior Housing Network is more than bricks and mortar and provides so much more than just basic shelter needs. Quality housing is key to aging with dignity. Each of our buildings provides personal interaction, services and life enhancing activities for every resident in the property.

Our goal is not simply to build an apartment building, but to create a sense of community and a welcoming environment for all of the residents, as well as to keep them living independently in their neighborhoods for as long as possible.”

– Janel Doughten, Associate Director, Center for Senior Services

Senior Advocacy: Our Issues. Our Perspective.

Housing – B’nai B’rith is a recognized leader in providing housing for low-income older adults since 1971. We are the largest national Jewish sponsor of subsidized housing for the elderly and we continue to look for innovative ways to build new housing and preserve existing units.

Health Care and Medicare – Healthy aging cannot begin at 65—it requires lifelong access to affordable health care, without which older adults are more likely to have multiple chronic (and expensive) health problems. B’nai B’rith actively supports responsible efforts to expand access to these services. B’nai B’rith supports the U.S. government’s Medicare program that currently covers those who are 65+ as well as millions of disabled adults. We support changes that are helpful to beneficiaries and for the program’s sustainability.

Social Security – B’nai B’rith International supports maintaining and strengthening the Social Security system as a social insurance program and believes it is important to help older Americans safeguard their retirement savings.

B’nai B’rith has long maintained that both Social Security and Medicare must be carefully examined in order to strengthen them as the social safety nets they have been since their inception. We have expanded upon our expertise in senior housing to become leading specialists in many aspects of critical senior services