Founded just over forty years ago in the South Bronx, Cooperative Home Care Associates has built a unique worker-owned model that empowers caregivers while serving communities across New York.

Founded just over forty years ago in the South Bronx, the licensed home care agency known as Cooperative Home Care Associates (CHCA) has an unusual business model. From the outset, it has been worker-owned, and in 2012 it earned B Corp certification, making a public commitment to consider the impact its decisions have on its workforce, clients, community, collaborators, and the environment. 

Today, CHCA employs approximately 1,600 caregivers and is the only B Corp-certified home care agency in New York. 1199 Magazine spoke with several member-owners to learn what working there means to them.

Noemi Rodriguez

Noemi Rodriguez, who has been a member of Cooperative Home Care Associates for 26 years, decided to become an 1199 Delegate to represent her fellow workers. 

“When I started back in 2000, we were earning $6.80 an hour. Now we are earning $19.86. Those increases didn’t happen overnight. They came about because many of us traveled up to Albany and down to Washington, DC, to press our elected representatives to fund a fair wage and improve our conditions.”

Rodriguez also represents Cooperative members when workplace issues arise. When workers discovered that a government telephone application used to log hours was malfunctioning, members worked through the union to resolve the issue and recover lost wages. 

“Because Cooperative is an agency where the workers are the owners, we have a lot of flexibility. We are also part of the community, and so we are able to negotiate discounts with stores like Costco and BJ's, as well as relationships with banks like Chase and a municipal credit union.”

Rodriguez plans to become active in the upcoming midterm elections through the 1199 Weekend Warrior program.

“We know that the government has cut $1 trillion from the federal Medicaid budget to fund tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. New York Governor Kathy Hochul helped us by filling some of that gap with state funds. But we're going to have to campaign hard to make sure we get new representatives in Washington to overturn these cuts.”

Zaida Ramos

As one of the longest-serving members at Cooperative Home Care Associates, Zaida Ramos remembers learning how the organization was founded by the nuns of Inmaculada Concepcion Church and a small group of home care workers seeking dignified employment for women in the South Bronx. 

Ramos joined Cooperative in 1998 and has seen it grow into one of the largest worker cooperatives in the country.

“It costs $1,000 for each new worker to join our cooperative, but you can pay that off at the rate of $3.55 per week, so it is manageable.”

Working with two clients while also serving as an 1199 Delegate and political activist, Ramos is passionate about educating others about the value of home care work.

“Some people have been saying that home care workers don’t provide quality health care to our clients. They don’t realize that what we do for our patients, like making sure they eat and get some exercise, is very important for their health.”

Ramos also spoke about the importance of preserving Medicaid funding and supporting immigrant communities.

“We have to do all we can to elect decent people that understand the importance of what we do as home care workers and who will work to restore Medicaid funding.”

Maura Gerard

Maura Gerard emigrated from Puerto Rico in 2018 after Hurricane Maria. Encouraged by her daughter, who works for New York City's Department of Health, Gerard joined Cooperative and soon became an 1199 Delegate. 

“I like working in home care because you are working just with your client in their home and you have more freedom.”

Gerard has become deeply involved in political action, canvassing for candidates and educating voters.

“Coming from the Caribbean, getting involved in politics here has been eye-opening. It helps me learn how to get along with different kinds of people and to do something positive in my free time.”

She also volunteers with Rainbow Connections, an organization that supports housing and welfare rights for members of the LGBTQ community.

“I’m looking forward to getting involved in the midterm campaign and knocking on people’s doors and making sure they understand their rights. It’s so important to talk to people and give them a little hope.”

Angella Russell

Angella Russell joined Cooperative in 2019, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic. During that period, she continued caring for vulnerable clients despite extraordinary challenges. 

One of her clients passed away after a medical emergency, an experience that deeply affected her.

Today, she cares for another client living with dementia and works to protect her from financial exploitation.

“You have to put yourself in your client’s shoes and treat them how you would like to be treated.”

Russell became a Delegate because she wanted to advocate for workers' rights and ensure members received the wages, benefits, and protections they deserved.

“I enjoy fighting for my rights and benefits. For example, I help make sure members are paid for their travel time.”

Originally from Jamaica, Russell became a U.S. citizen after participating in the 1199 Citizenship Program. She is currently pursuing her GED and exploring training opportunities to become a Respiratory Therapist through union education benefits. 

“These federal cuts are affecting everyone, even union members.”