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WILLIAM DIONNE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE CARTER BURDEN
CENTER FOR THE AGING, CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY
On April 12, 2016, William Dionne, Executive Director, The
Carter Burden Center for the Aging, officially celebrated
his 25th Anniversary
of leadership at a reception held in his honor at the
Carter Burden/Covello Center at 312 East 109th Street
in East Harlem and hosted by the Board of Directors.
Dionne was recognized for his 25 years of action,
achievement and innovation as a champion of seniors by a
prestigious group of guests including Board members,
volunteers, colleagues and staff. Speakers included: Donna
M. Corrado, Ph.D., Commissioner Department for the Aging;
Gale A. Brewer, Manhattan Borough President; Lilliam Barios-Paoli,
former Deputy Mayor under Mayor de Blasio; Stephanie A.
Raneri, Executive Director, Isaac H. Tuttle Fund; The Carter
Burden Center Board Chair, Jeffrey A. Weber; Susan L.
Burden, founding Board member, and Velda Murad, Associate
Executive Director. Nina Saxon recognized Dionne’s
accomplishments with a proclamation letter on behalf of New
York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer.
Dr. Donna Corrado presented a commendation letter from Mayor
Bill de Blasio stating, “We have an important responsibility
to improve and protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of
all residents regardless of age, and throughout your 25-year
career at Carter Burden, you have helped us fulfill this
promise and bettered the quality of life for many across our
city. Under your leadership, The Carter Burden Center for
the Aging has continued to grow and expand its vital
programming and advocacy, making a positive difference in
the lives of seniors and their families in the five
boroughs. I am delighted to join in recognizing your
commitment to forge a better and brighter future for seniors
in our city and far beyond. On behalf of the City of New
York, please accept my best wishes for a wonderful
anniversary celebration and continued success.”
When Dionne joined the agency in 1991, there were 1,500 NYC
seniors being served, 25 volunteers and one senior center on
the Upper East Side. Today, there are over 5,000 NYC
seniors being served, with a robust, dedicated team of 3,500
volunteers, and 3 additional senior centers in East Harlem.
He continues to advocate for seniors on various issues and
is especially passionate about Day Programs for seniors with
low- to mid-level dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
In addition to East Harlem, there was a series of
celebrations throughout the agency in honor of Dionne for
his generosity, leadership, compassion and vision with a
focus on the impact he has made on countless seniors, as
well as the community.
Since joining the Carter Burden Center for the Aging in
1991, Dionne has instinctively developed best practices and
led the agency on a journey of partnerships and mergers that
has expanded their work and embraced new and innovative
projects - like the Carter Burden art gallery in Chelsea
that features professional re-emerging artists aged 60 and
over (2009); and a hybrid, first of its kind Metro East 99th Street
adult day program (2014) which supports low-income tenants
onsite. These seniors are Medicaid and Medicare
beneficiaries living with multiple chronic physical and
mental health illnesses.
His guiding principle is to launch and sustain programs to
support the efforts of older people to live safely and with
dignity and stay engaged in the community in mind, body and
spirit. Programs include Community Elder Mistreatment &
Abuse Prevention Program (2003), Making Art Work (2009), and
Caregiver Resource Program (2015), to name a few.
The Carter Burden Center for the Aging, Inc. is
a non-profit agency established in 1971 by the late Carter
Burden when he was a New York City Councilman. The mission
is to promote the well-being of seniors, 60 and older,
through a continuum of services, advocacy and volunteer
programs oriented to individual, family and community
needs. The Carter Burden Center is dedicated to supporting
the efforts of older people to live safely and with
dignity. For more information, please visit
www.carterburdencenter.org. |