VNS Health Community Impact

New Yorkers who need more support at home can turn to VNS Health’s Charitable Care Services for help. We provide free and discounted home care, along with practical support for everyday needs like medication co-pays, eyeglasses, transportation to medical appointments, groceries, and air conditioners. Violet’s story shows the difference that care can make. With physical therapy, personal care, and help getting the resources she needed, she regained strength, mobility, and independence. Read Violet’s full story.

Across New York City, VNS Health helps children, adults, and families facing mental health and substance use challenges. Our behavioral health programs offer support at every stage, from crisis intervention to longer-term treatment and care management. Samuel’s story brings that impact to life. After months of isolation and depression, he and his wife found connection, support, and renewed hope through VNS Health’s behavioral health team. Read Samuel’s full story.

VNS Health provides community-based support that helps older adults stay connected, supported, and healthy. Through the Chinatown Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NNORC), Community Centers in Manhattan, Flushing, and Sunset Park, and LGBTQ+ Outreach, we build meaningful relationships with older adults and connect them to services that reduce isolation and promote well-being. These programs offer outreach in the home, workshops, and connection to resources tailored to the needs of the communities we serve. The experience of residents like Chang shows how meaningful this work can be. When language, technology, and isolation made it difficult for older adults in Chinatown to access COVID-19 vaccines, VNS Health helped hundreds of residents secure appointments, arrange transportation, and reconnect with community life. This same person-centered approach guides our LGBTQ+ Outreach, helping older LGBTQ+ adults access respectful, culturally responsive care that supports health, dignity, and connection. Read Chang’s full story and learn more about our LGBTQ+ Outreach program.

No one should have to face serious illness or end of life alone. VNS Health’s hospice care teams work with thousands of patients and families across New York to manage symptoms, provide comfort, and promote quality of life, regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. Carlos’s story illustrates the importance of this care. After a long hospital stay, VNS Health’s hospice team helped him return to the home he loved, where he and his family received the clinical, emotional, and spiritual support they needed. Read Carlos’s full story.

As veterans age, accessing the right care and benefits can be complicated for them and their families. VNS Health helps make that process easier. Our veteran liaisons help ensure high-quality clinical care while connecting veterans and their families to community resources and veteran-specific benefits. This includes hospice teams specially trained to address the unique needs of military veterans at end of life. Arnold and Cecilia’s story shows the lasting impact of this support. After Arnold’s death, VNS Health helped Cecilia access survivor benefits she did not know were available, easing financial stress and honoring Arnold’s service in a meaningful way. Read Arnold’s full story.

VNS Health’s Nurse-Family Partnership supports first-time mothers in Nassau County and the Bronx with free, one-on-one care from specially trained nurses. From pregnancy until a child turns two, nurses help moms stay healthy, work toward school and career goals, and build a strong foundation for their families. Rachel’s story shows what that kind of support can mean. With guidance during pregnancy, help finding essential resources, and support for postpartum depression, she felt more confident and better prepared as a new mother. Read Rachel’s full story.