New Communities Services

CONTACT:

116 Norfolk Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-547-3543
windsorhouse.org

Lucille Capraro, Executive Director

DESCRIPTION:

Another variation on the theme of lower-cost models for elderly housing and health care is New Communities Services, founded in 1973 to join housing and services so that seniors could "age-in-place" in the comfort of their homes and community settings. In 1975 they opened 116 Norfolk Street (Cambridge) as the nation's first congregate housing site for 37 low-income elders, some of whose residents moved out of nursing homes to live there. In 1977, responding to Norfolk Street residents' need for health care and daily structure, NCS opened a day program of health care, meals, therapeutic activities, rehabilitative care and social services on Windsor Street (Cambridge). Today, NCS has developed and/or manages 350 units of affordable housing in 11 buildings distributed across Greater Boston, utilizing a wide range of public/private financing, development and management models another example of fruitful partnership between government and philanthropy. Some units are designated for specialized care for clients with HIV/AIDS, mental retardation, brain injuries, Alzheimer's, dementia, physical frailty and other conditions. The distinction of NCS is its flexibility and willingness to innovate and improvise to provide low cost health care and housing for thousands of needy senior citizens. They need more private philanthropy are you interested?

(2006: HUMAN SERVICES: Health and Aging: General)