Center for Senior Services
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.
“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
Stay Informed
News & Updates
Featured Virtual Content
Watch
Helping Older Adults During Covid and Beyond: Service Coordinators
Listen
Podcast on Senior Housing and Advocacy with CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin and Center for Senior Services Director Mark Olshan
Learn
Protecting Older Adults From Fraud (with Deborah Royster of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau)
What We're Talking About
View past virtual content
- 2023 Summer – Seniority Report
- 2023 Winter – Seniority Report
- 2022 Winter – Seniority Report
- 2022 Fall – Seniority Report
- 2021 Winter – Seniority Report
- 2021 Spring – Seniority Report
- 2020 Winter – Seniority Report
- 2020 Spring – Seniority Report
- 2020 Fall – Seniority Report
- 2019 Spring – Seniority Report
- 2019 Fall – Seniority Report
- 2018 Winter – Seniority Report
- 2018 Summer – Seniority Report
- 2018 Spring – Seniority Report
- 2018 Fall – Seniority Report
- 2017 Winter – Seniority Report
- 2017 Summer – Seniority Report
- 2017 Spring – Seniority Report
- 2017 Fall – Seniority Report
CSS Leads Service Project to Kick Off 2023 Training in Florida
We kicked off the B’nai B’rith Center for Senior Services (CSS) Annual Housing Network Managers and Service Coordinators Training – held June 14-16 – with a service project in Fort Myers, Florida.
The project was done in conjunction with the B’nai B’rith Disaster and Emergency Relief Committee at Villa Vincente, a Section 202 senior housing building that was impacted by Hurricane Ian in September 2022.
Our managers and service coordinators spent the day cleaning up the landscaping, painting common areas, stuffing and distributing emergency preparedness bags and delivering lunch for residents of Villa Vicente.
They also stuffed emergency preparedness bags for residents of three additional buildings in the Fort Myers area. Special guest Allyson Rae, chief meteorologist from local affiliate NBC2 News, addressed the group about the issues facing building managers preparing their residents for weather disasters.
The annual conference also included two days of training with local representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, industry experts and our own CSS housing experts.
CSS Leads Congressional Staffer Trip to B'nai B'rith Homecrest House
Prior to the pandemic, the B’nai B’rith International Center for Senior Services (CSS) regularly organized tours of our U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) senior housing properties around the country. These tours provide an opportunity for members of Congress and their staff to see the critical importance affordable housing plays in the lives of seniors.
Today, staff members from the House of Representatives committee responsible for funding rental subsidies and service coordinators for HUD senior housing toured Homecrest House, a B’nai B’rith sponsored property in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Staff members Kate Koschewa and Christina Monroe toured the campus where they saw an apartment unit, the gym, the library and dining room. They also spent time talking with residents about their experiences living in Homecrest House.
We thank Mike Goldman, president of the board of directors for Homecrest House and Homecrest staff members for participating. Also, attending on behalf of B’nai B’rith International were Evan Carmen, legislative director for aging policy, and Alayna Waldrum and Kendra Kuehn, representing the American Association of Service Coordinators‘ policy team.
“B’nai B’rith thanks Kate Koschewa and Christina Monroe for visiting Homecrest House and appreciates their time touring the property and speaking with residents. Homecrest is a great example of how HUD senior housing can make a big difference in the lives of older Americans who are worried about paying healthcare and grocery bills,” Carmen said.
B’nai B’rith is a leader in the Jewish community’s approach to aging issues through our Center for Senior Services. Our first housing partnership with HUD launched in 1971 and now, with 37 buildings in 28 communities, we are the largest national Jewish sponsor of non-sectarian subsidized housing in the United States.
We don’t just build senior housing – CSS staff members support training and programs for the residents, building staff and board members who make up our housing network.
