CSCS: Council of Senior Centers and Services of NYC, Inc.

In Memoriam

Elly Guggenheimer
- Founder of CSCS

Elinor Guggenheimer was a sterling example of how one person can influence the lives of so many. From her formative years working with teenage girls at the Educational Alliance, to her work as founder of Council of Senior Centers and Services of New York City, Inc., Elly was at the forefront of the efforts to improve the lives of children, women, consumers and seniors.

Elly achieved many firsts and milestones throughout her 95 years. An urban planner, she became the first woman on the New York City Planning Commission, followed by her tenure as the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs in the 1970's. When Elly saw a problem she leapt into it. Recognizing the plight of working mothers, she founded the Day Care Council of New York in 1948, followed by the National Day Care and Child Development Council in 1958. Her activism in the Women's Movement led her to create the New York Women's Forum in 1973, and later the National and International Women's Forums and the New York Women's Agenda.

In 1979, Elly founded CSCS, and served as its first Executive Director - without salary. True to her vision, CSCS has grown to become the leader of the vast network of senior service providers throughout the City and the region, serving over 200 service providers and more than 300,000 seniors. As a result of her foresight, CSCS is today the voice for seniors in New York City. she pioneered a new national campaign to change the image of the elderly by challenging the negative portrayal of older folks in the media. As a standard bearer of active aging herself, Elly debunked the myth of aging stereotypes and demonstrated each day the productivity and value of older adults. Read CSCS Executive Director Igal Jellinek's eulogy about Elly and the influence she had upon him and our organization.

Elly has been honored with numerous awards, including the 1997 Presidential Citizens Medal. She received the Eleanor Roosevelt Leadership Award, and was recognized in the 100 Most Important Women in the United States by the Ladies Home Journal and One of the Most Powerful Women in New York by Crain's New York Business Magazine. As a long-standing trustee of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, she helped found the Jewish Association of Services for the Aged (JASA) where she remains a trustee.

She and her late husband, Randolph, had two sons, Randolph Jr. and Charles, three grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

CSCS is one of two organizations the Guggenheimer family has designated to receive donations. If you wish to honor Elly with a contribution to CSCS, checks may be sent to CSCS at 49 West 45th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10036. To make an online contribution, please go to our Contribution page.