About Us
COTHOA Luncheon Club, Inc. is an older adult program funded by the NYC Department for the Aging and sponsored by Church on the Hill AME ZION Church.
COTHOA’s mission is to provide congregate meals and an array of social services to the older adults of Washington Heights and West Harlem that enable them to remain active, contributing members of the community for as long as possible. The services provided by COTHOA include, nutrition and health promotion, education and recreation, case assistance, art, technology, and transportation.
COTHOA was established in April 1974 when the Department for the Aging asked the religious organizations in NYC to house and sponsor the DFTA funded programs.
COTHOA started out as a small neighborhood center. As the population in the neighborhood grew, so did the center.
The Department for the Aging recognized that the program needed a better facility, so in 2002 DFTA allocated 1.5 million dollars of capital funds for COTHOA’s renovation. The renovation included relocation of the program from the basement to the 2nd floor of the building.
The program continued to provide excellent services and in January 2014, COTHOA was asked by the Department for the Aging to take over the Polo Grounds Older Adult Center, located in NYCHA’s housing development in West Harlem.
In 2015, COTHOA was recognized for providing excellent services and turning around the program at the Polo Grounds Older Adult Center and received an offer to undertake another center in the community: the R. J. Rangel Social Club, also located in NYCHA’s development.
In July 2016 COTHOA undertook another program: the Mary McLeod Bethune Older Adult Center, located just two blocks from COTHOA in NYCHA’s development as well.
All COTHOA’s sites are staffed with dedicated professionals, the majority of whom have been with the agency for over two decades.
COTHOA is well known in the community as a reliable older adult services provider. It collaborates with other older adult centers on many community and advocacy initiatives. COTHOA is a member of Washington Heights Inwood Council on Aging as well as Live On NY, formerly CSCS.
COTHOA continues with our mission to provide an outstanding service to the older adults in the community.
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