Background and Purpose

A. Goal: 

The goal of the project is to address food insecurity and social isolation among older adults, to support the building of a 

livable community, and to help older adults ‘age in place’ with dignity.

B. Objectives: 

1. Establish a technology-based network of services adapted for the target population to reliably and sustainably link them 

to adequate food and other social services and activities that can help improve their food security, connectedness, and 

quality of life.

2. Work with community members to create tailored cooking and nutrition education classes, using a food justice lens to 

promote optimal diet quality and participant buy-in and behavior change 

3. Provide SNAP education and enrollment assistance and access to low-cost fresh local produce via a subsidized food box 

to help improve food access and diet quality.

4. Work with public housing tenant associations and other key partners to help organize the community to create and 

advocate for services and activities that support their aging in place.

5. Collect and analyze data on referral outcomes and other proposed activities to measure the village’s success and longterm viability.

C. Overview of Project: 

Public Health Solutions (PHS), in partnership with Carter Burden (CBN), received a 2018 Administration for Community Living 

Nutrition Innovations Grant to implement the East Harlem Village (EHV), a community services network to combat food 

insecurity and social isolation among older adults 60+ and help them age in place with dignity. The network links participants 

to trusted local food and nutrition programs, socialization activities, leadership support, and other social services, using a 

secure, closed-loop electronic referral platform. The program adopts a “pragmatic model of responsiveness”, wherein 

community members identify their needs and the menu of services needed, and we respond to the community to ensure the 

ability of the network of organizations to address those needs, and streamline communication between service providers to 

solve problems.

D. Project Results: 

• EHV has enrolled 313 active members. 

• Screened needs and assisted members to receive 377 referrals 

to services from partner organizations and other available 

services provided, in the following service areas: Benefits 

Navigation, Food Assistance, Housing & Shelter, Individual & 

Family Support, Legal, Mental/Behavioral Health, Physical 

Health, Social Enrichment, and Wellness. (See service screening 

forms in Appendix D) 

• Created 11 innovative programs in the project, with 166 

activities/workshops/events conducted to respond to 

community needs and address service gaps. 

• Generated 7,028 total participation across all new programming. 

• Hosted 4 Partners Convening Meeting over the grant period and 

scaled up partner network size from 10 to 20 organizations. 

• Quality of Life and Food Insecurity changes data (See Appendix F) 

Figure A. Demonstrates the number of 

nutrition education attendance over the 

course of the grant period.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 90INNU0018, from the Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to 

express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.