Spanish Speaking Elderly Council

What Spanish Speaking Elderly Council does

Spanish Speaking Elderly Council, operating as RAICES, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1978 and headquartered in Brooklyn, New York. It serves Latino, African-American, and low-income older adults (primarily aged 60 and above) across Brooklyn and Queens through three core programs: nine congregate Older Adult Centers that provide nutritious meals, social activities, health and wellness programming, and case assistance; the RAICES Access Program, established in 1985, which provides culturally and linguistically appropriate case assistance for benefits and entitlements such as Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and SNAP; and Raices Casa BienEstar, a licensed outpatient behavioral health clinic described as Brooklyn's first geriatric outpatient behavioral health clinic, offering individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, and psychiatric medication management to adults 18 and older.

The organization operates 11 direct service sites in total and runs on a community-based delivery model in which participants are referred through RAICES programs, medical facilities, schools, community organizations, and self-referrals. Multilingual staff fluent in English, Spanish, and Creole deliver services that implement RAICES' "ethnic ramp" concept, using culturally and linguistically appropriate services as a tool to improve access and utilization for communities of color. Operational scale includes 72,000 to 107,000+ congregate meals served annually and 2,100 to 3,250+ participants served yearly across all programs, with over 100 trips and outings annually.

RAICES does not use a proprietary technology platform and relies on standard channels such as its website at raices.us, Facebook, and Instagram for outreach and donor cultivation. It is funded through charitable contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations, and the only disclosed funding event in source materials is a $30,000 grant from the Ponce De Leon Foundation on 2025-02-12. Services are provided at no cost to eligible participants. The organization is led by Executive Director Lisette Sosa-Dickson (LCSW) with clinical direction from Clinical Director Raquel Ortiz Terron (LCSW) and operates with 51-100 staff supported by a Board of Directors and a 40+ partner community network spanning healthcare providers, social service agencies, advocacy groups, and culturally aligned financial institutions.

Name

Spanish Speaking Elderly Council

Legal name

Spanish Speaking Elderly Council - RAICES, Inc.

Website

https://raices.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

RAICES is a Brooklyn-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1978 that operates nine Older Adult Centers, a behavioral health clinic, and a case assistance program for Latino, African-American, and low-income seniors across Brooklyn and Queens.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Senior Social Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Adult Day Care (Non-Medical Supervision & Activities) (HSABANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Resources, Social Services & Transportation Coordination (HLADALAK), Behavioral Health & Cognitive Support Coordination (Dementia, Depression, SUD) (HSABAIAF), Elder Services & Aging Support (BPAGAEAF)

Keywords

• Older adult services
• Behavioral health clinic
• Community case assistance
• Senior meal programs
• Culturally competent care

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: RAICES is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that relies on charitable donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations to fund its programs and services including meal programs, behavioral health services, and case assistance.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

RAICES operates a coordinated portfolio of community-based social services for older adults, organized around three core programs: nine Older Adult Centers across Brooklyn and Queens providing congregate meals, health and wellness activities, educational programming, and socialization; Raices Casa BienEstar, a licensed outpatient behavioral health clinic offering individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, and psychiatric medication management for adults 18+; and the RAICES Access Program, a case assistance division helping clients navigate benefits such as Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and housing assistance. All services are delivered with cultural and linguistic competency in English and Spanish to Latino, African-American, and low-income aging populations.

Product overview

RAICES operates as a coordinated portfolio of social services for older adults, organized around three core programs: nine Older Adult Centers providing meals, activities, and community services across Brooklyn and Queens; Raices Casa BienEstar, a licensed outpatient behavioral health clinic offering counseling and psychiatric services; and the RAICES Access Program, a case assistance division helping clients secure essential benefits and entitlements. All services are delivered with cultural and linguistic competency in English and Spanish, targeting Latino, African-American, and low-income aging populations in New York City.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Raices Casa BienEstar: Licensed outpatient behavioral health clinic offering culturally sensitive behavioral health services to adults and older adults, focusing on holistic needs and providing crisis intervention, depression treatment, and ongoing support.
• RAICES Access Program

Products and services

• Older Adult Centers Nine congregate older adult centers (five in Brooklyn, four in Queens) providing nutritious meals, health and wellness activities, educational programming, social and recreational services, and case assistance to help adults aged 60 and above remain independent and engaged in their communities.
• Raices Casa BienEstar Licensed outpatient behavioral health clinic offering culturally sensitive services including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, and psychiatric medication management for adults 18 years and older, operating Monday through Saturday with staff fluent in English, Spanish, and Creole.
• RAICES Access Program Case assistance division established in 1985 providing expert guidance to navigate benefits programs including Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, SNAP, and housing assistance, with culturally competent bilingual staff located in an ADA-compliant Downtown Brooklyn facility.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 72,000+ meals annually to older adults
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Brooklyn Community FoundationminorOthersCommunity foundation partner supporting RAICES' mission to serve Brooklyn communities
• Brooklyn HospitalminorOthersHealthcare provider partner referring patients and collaborating on health services
• Center for Health Equity and Community Wellness, NYC DOHMHminorOthersNYC Department of Health partnership focused on health equity initiatives
• Hispanic FederationminorOthersLatino advocacy organization partnership supporting Hispanic community services
• Health FirstminorOthersHealthcare partner providing health services and referrals
• Make the Road New YorkminorOthersCommunity organization partner serving immigrant and working-class communities
• Red Hook InitiativeminorOthersCommunity development organization in Red Hook neighborhood
• New York Common PantryminorOthersFood security partner providing nutritious meals support
• Ponce BankminorOthersFinancial institution partner serving the Latino community
• Popular BankminorOthersCommunity bank partnership supporting financial services access
• GRIOT CircleminorOthersLGBTQ+ senior organization partnership serving diverse aging populations
• VNS (Visiting Nurse Service)minorOthersHome healthcare partner providing nursing and health services
• VISIONSminorOthersServices for the blind/visually impaired partner providing specialized support
• Oak ST HealthminorOthersHealthcare partner specializing in care for older adults

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Selfhelp Community Services: Large NYC nonprofit providing social services, case management, and senior programs including NORC and home-based services. Comparable in delivering benefits navigation and culturally tailored aging services at scale.
• Citymeals on Wheels: NYC nonprofit providing meals to homebound elderly, a direct complement and partial overlap with RAICES' congregate meal programs. Comparable funding model and target demographic of frail, low-income NYC seniors.
• Carter Burden Network: NYC nonprofit operating multiple older adult centers and senior programs in Manhattan, with a comparable mix of congregate meals, case assistance, and cultural programming for aging New Yorkers. Closest direct peer in scope and service mix.
• DOROT: NYC-based nonprofit serving older adults through community programs, case assistance, and intergenerational programming. Directly comparable mission and social-service delivery model with deep NYC roots.
• Search and Care: NYC nonprofit providing case management, benefits access, and care coordination for older adults in Manhattan. Comparable mission in helping seniors navigate Medicaid, Medicare, and social services.
• Goddard Riverside Community Center: Manhattan-based community nonprofit operating older adult centers, benefits access programs, and senior services. Highly comparable service mix targeting low-income urban seniors with community-based delivery.

Emerging players

• CenterLight Health: NYC-area nonprofit providing managed long-term care, PACE program, and behavioral health for seniors with complex needs. Overlaps with Casa BienEstar's behavioral health focus and Access Program's benefits navigation for Medicaid-eligible seniors.

Others

• Hartford Foundation for Public Giving: While not a direct peer, regional foundations like Hartford serve as similar funder/grantmaker archetypes that fund community-based aging services. Useful comparator for understanding RAICES' funder ecosystem rather than competing services.

Broad incumbents

• Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty (Met Council): Large NYC antipoverty nonprofit operating senior programs, food assistance, and benefits navigation alongside broader social services. Comparable in delivering congregate senior services and case assistance at scale.
• Jewish Association Serving the Aging (JASA): One of NYC's largest aging services nonprofits offering older adult centers, case management, and senior housing. Significantly larger and broader portfolio but directly competes for NYC Aging contracts and senior participants.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SSECRAICESNY
• Instagraminstagram.com/ssecraicesny
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-spanish-speaking-elderly-council---raices-inc-

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Spanish Speaking Elderly Council