NYCHA Employee Honored for Her Work with Older Adult Residents in Crisis 

In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, NYCHA employee Lauren Antoine received the Sarita Bonnilla Memorial Elder Justice Hero Award from The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Center for Elder Justice at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale for her work on behalf of older adult NYCHA residents who have experienced neglect or abuse.  

Ms. Antoine is the Manhattan Borough Administrator in NYCHA’s Family Partnerships Department. She was honored for her role as a liaison between The Weinberg Center and NYCHA departments, including Law, Applications and Tenancy Administration, and others, to help ensure older residents get the transfers and other services they need. 

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is recognized annually in June to bring attention to the neglect and abuse of older adults and help raise awareness so that older adults can live safe and comfortable lives. The Weinberg Center is New York City’s only elder abuse shelter program; it focuses on providing older adults with safe shelter and legal services, provides education and outreach on elder abuse and neglect, and helps other regions in the U.S. create elder abuse shelters in their communities. 

Ms. Antoine recounted working with a resident and The Weinberg Center on a transfer as well as connecting The Weinberg Center to property management because the organization’s staff needed access to set up the resident’s new apartment with furniture and household items. “It takes a village and a lot of advocacy, but we worked to ensure the resident felt safe and protected,” Ms. Antoine said. 

“Lauren is a skilled, deeply compassionate professional who can quickly establish a strong rapport with clients over the phone,” said Rachael Domanico, LMSW, Elder Justice Specialist at The Weinberg Center.  “She is as reliable and persistent as she is approachable, and clients trust her to help navigate and advocate for them. Our partnerships with NYCHA and professionals like Lauren have been lifesaving for many of our clients. We are grateful to recognize Lauren as an elder justice hero!” 

A virtual meeting was held in August to surprise Ms. Antoine with the award. Her supervisor, Director of Family Partnerships Marina Oteiza, set up a meet-and-greet video meeting which Ms. Antoine thought was an introduction to a potential NYCHA partner. 

“When I realized the surprise, I felt overwhelmed, honored, and touched to have received such an award and that they felt it was important to honor me and recognize the collaboration we’ve had over the years working with the most vulnerable seniors,” Ms. Antoine said. “The Weinberg Center helps older adults who don’t feel safe at home. Thinking about this population makes me do my best; I am all in to help them getting back to being safe and secure.” 

About her Family Partnerships team, Ms. Antoine said, “We are a small team in numbers, so we rely on effective partnerships as the social services branch of NYCHA, to work with the most vulnerable, at-risk, disenfranchised residents to help them avert crisis wherever possible.” 

“It is no surprise that Lauren would be honored in this way,” said Ms. Oteiza. “Lauren is extremely resourceful, dedicated, and empathic. She cares greatly and goes above and beyond in her work daily. I am so grateful to have her be a part of the Family Partnerships team!”