Riverdale Senior Services Builds Community Through Fine Dining and Music

In a neighborhood where seniors face loneliness and financial strain, Riverdale Senior Services (RSS) offers a vital reminder of community and care.

RSS is a nonprofit that provides meals, classes and other physical and mental support for older adults. On Aug. 5, the organization hosted a sold-out fine dining experience for its guests with live music.

Nearly 30 percent of the population in Riverdale-Spuyten Duyvil is over the age of 65 according to a 2024 report from the New York Academy of Medicine. Some seniors live on a fixed income, relying on Social Security and other federal aid like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

 For many, nights out are rare.

“With the current environment, I just started asking them ‘When’s the last time you went out [and] had a nice dinner?,’” Tina Cardoza-Izquierdo, executive director of RSS, said. “Many of them said they couldn’t afford it.”

The event was fully booked at 120 tickets, she added, raising $3,000 for the center.

Prepared by Chef Endy Reynoso, the three-course meal began with a choice of caesar salad or cream of mushroom soup. Diners then selected from teriyaki-glazed salmon, chicken marsala or vegetable lasagna for the main course. To finish, dessert offered vanilla cake or créme brûlée.

“I always like to have things come out perfectly,” Reynoso said. “I really take my time when it comes to plating, temperature, stuff like that.”

He joined the center about three months ago, but worked in the industry for two decades. Reynoso also prepares daily lunches for the members.

Tables were set with silverware, candles, pitchers of refreshments and a fresh bouquet of roses, lilies and baby’s breath as a centerpiece.

Two of the attendees were Susan and Alberto Guzman, volunteers and members at the center for 15 years. The two have been married for over four decades. Susan knits weekly with friends at RSS, as well as teaches a writing class.

“It’s almost like a date night with my husband,” Susan said.

Flutist and composer Yael Acher “Kat” Modiano performed for part of the dinner, before pianist Kayka Filipowicz took over. Modiano has taught music appreciation for members at the center with dementia for nearly two years.

“This is a community,” she said. “It’s good for elderly people to have things to do and different activities … they’re not lonely for one thing, but it also cognitively stimulates them.”

According to the National Institute on Aging, things that engage the brain — painting, games, exercise and interaction with others — are key to improving mental sharpness alongside quality of life for seniors.

“Socialization is really crucial,” Cardoza-Izquierdo said. “Many of [the members] come to the center during the day, but don’t go anywhere at night. So this is a really special thing.”

For other guests, the dinner was simply a chance to have a nice meal.

Raquel Solomon, who occasionally visits the center for music performances, felt it was an opportunity to enjoy a small luxury.

“I saw they were having this fundraiser and a chef dinner,” she recalled. “So I said, ‘I’m gonna treat myself.’”

The center plans to use the money raised to host regular fine dining events and other activities, like a tour of Riverdale. Cardoza-Izquierdo said seniors should feel like they can go out and have fun.

Toby Cash, a member of RSS for eight years, called the center a home away from home.

“A lot of these [members] don’t have family, or most of them have lost their spouse,” Cash said. “They would just have a life of loneliness — I think it extends your life.”