Honor United Hebrew's Centennial

Senate Resolution No. 533 BY: Senator MAYER COMMEMORATING the 100th Anniversary of United Hebrew WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to honor those illustrious organizations of the State of New York whose purposeful endeavors serve to enhance the quality of life for the cherished senior citizens in their communities; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of United Hebrew; and WHEREAS, The United Home for Aged Hebrews was founded in 1919, by the Krakauer Charity and Aid Society, a group of charitable Austrian Jews, whose President, Solomon J. Manne, proposed sponsorship of a home for the aged; and WHEREAS, Ten years later, 51 elderly men and women in need were being cared for in a large two-story frame house surrounded by three park-like acres on Pelham Road in New Rochelle, with Solomon J. Manne serving as its first President; and WHEREAS, In 1934, a three-story, red-brick addition to the original building was made possible by a generous contribution from Adolph Arber; during this time, the United Home was the largest institution of its kind in Westchester County with 155 residents; and WHEREAS, Ground was broken for a $1.5 million building to replace the original house in 1954; three years later, the Saul and Ada Gutner Pavilion opened, and the new 102-bed facility was hailed as an entirely new concept in living for the elderly in need and the first major departure from the institutional atmosphere of the traditional old age home; and WHEREAS, In 1965, a three-story wing was added to the building, increasing the Home's capacity by 50 percent; the air-conditioned addition contained a roof patio, glassed-in rooms in the hospital area with oxygen and vacuum piped directly to each bed, and new laboratory and X-ray rooms; and WHEREAS, The Lola and Saul Kramer Pavilion, a skilled-nursing facility, was built in 1976, bringing the United Home to a 270-bed capacity; a beauty parlor, gift shop, tea room, medical suite, recreation therapy room, lounge, nursing and administrative offices were incorporated into this addition; and WHEREAS, In 1980, Low-Savin Residence (Soundview Apartments), a nine-story apartment building for independent seniors, opened its doors adjacent to the nursing home; and WHEREAS, United Home then launched a Long-Term Home Health Care Program, the Lombardi Program, which reached out to care for the elderly, infirm and disabled in their own homes with nursing and support services; and WHEREAS, The name United Hebrew Geriatric Center was adopted in

1988, to reflect the array of senior care services this vital organization provided, and in 1991, the Westchester Ladies' Auxiliary dedicated a fountain statue and garden to its residents; and WHEREAS, Continuing its rapid growth, AZOR Licensed Home Health Care was launched in 1996, extending United Hebrew Geriatric Center's award-winning services into the community to serve those who chose to stay in their own home; and WHEREAS, In 2003, the Beverly and Alfred J. Green Pavilion-Willow Towers Assisted Living, opened its doors; this spectacular addition to the United Hebrew Geriatric Center campus opened with 126 apartments and an array of amenities for supportive living; and WHEREAS, Winner of the National Association of Home Builders Platinum Achievement Award, the residence includes a two-story, glass-enclosed dining atrium, community rooms, a 24-hour cafe, and the Phoenix Memory Care Neighborhood, a secure, specialized unit for residents with Alzheimer's and related disorders; and WHEREAS, Furthermore, Willow Towers is the first assisted residence in Westchester County to obtain triple licensure from New York State, allowing residents to live there as their healthcare needs become greater, without having to move to a skilled nursing facility; and WHEREAS, In 2006, United Hebrew Geriatric Center held a historic groundbreaking ceremony for a new nursing and rehabilitation center, the Lucile and Joseph Skalet Pavilion; and WHEREAS, This state-of-the-art, 143,000-square-foot facility propelled United Hebrew into the future with a new skilled nursing facility to better serve seniors in Westchester County; along with the renovation of the Kramer Pavilion, this expansion reflected its dedication to caring for seniors in a non-institutional, resident-centered way; and WHEREAS, United Hebrew Geriatric Center was renamed United Hebrew in

2009, reflecting the essence of its comprehensive services, "united for our residents, caregivers, and their families"; during this time, its campus was also renamed The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Campus; and WHEREAS, In 2014, United Hebrew held its "Breaking Down the Walls" ceremony, kicking off a renovation of its vacant nursing pavilion to create Willow Gardens Memory Care, Westchester's first nonprofit residence devoted exclusively to people affected by Alzheimer's and other dementias, and Meadow Lane, an independent senior housing complex for low-income adults; and WHEREAS, Willow Gardens Memory Care and Meadow Lane Apartments opened their doors in 2016, expanding United Hebrew's campus of comprehensive care with 32 new senior housing apartments and 41 new units devoted to support for individuals with memory impairment; and WHEREAS, Today, this extraordinary organization serves 1,000 seniors daily on its campus and throughout the greater Westchester community; and WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when organizations of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our attention, they should be recognized and applauded by all the citizens of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of United Hebrew; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to United Hebrew.