LaShay Harris Hosts Fourth Annual Senior Estate Planning Summit Focused on Aging, Wealth Preservation

Rochester City Council Vice President LaShay D. Harris hosted the fourth annual Martha L. Hope ROC Senior Estate Planning Summit on Saturday, bringing together older adults, caregivers and community organizations to discuss financial planning, aging resources and strategies to preserve generational wealth.

Rochester City Council President Miguel Melendez, Rochester City Council Vice President LaShay D. Harris, Rochester Mayor Malik Evans, Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, NY State Assembly Member Demon Meeks

The event was held at the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center and was organized in collaboration with Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans, Lifespan, Common Ground Health and the Monroe County Family Coalition.

Harris said the summit was created to address a longstanding gap in access to estate planning resources for many older residents in the city.

“Too many of our city’s older adults and their caregivers have been starved of the resources necessary to plan for their estates and create generational wealth,” Harris said in a statement. “When I hosted the first Senior Estate Planning Summit, I vowed to help make sure wealth stays with Rochester’s families where it can be passed along to the next generation.”

Dozens of Rochester residents attended the summit, which featured workshops and informational sessions on topics such as wills, banking and identity theft protection. Participants also had the opportunity to connect with vendors and organizations offering services and guidance related to aging and financial planning.

Organizers said the event has grown into an important outreach effort connecting city officials and advocacy groups with older adults who may otherwise lack access to estate planning and financial resources.

Ann Marie Cook, president and CEO of Lifespan, said the summit aligns with the organization’s broader mission to support older adults in the community.

“Our mission is to ensure that older adults in Rochester can navigate the opportunities and challenges that come with age,” Cook said. “The ROC Senior Estate Summit is a shining example of this mission, and we are proud to partner with Vice President Harris for this important work.”

City Council President Miguel A. Meléndez Jr. also praised Harris for organizing the event and highlighting the needs of older residents.

“I’d like to thank and congratulate Vice President Harris for devoting herself to the wellbeing of our elders,” Meléndez said. “With this work, we continue our work for a more equitable Rochester focused on safer neighborhoods, quality housing and equitable access to opportunity.”

City officials said the summit is intended to help older residents and their families better understand estate planning and financial protections, while also strengthening efforts to keep wealth within Rochester families across generations.