HICA's goal is to educate the elderly, service providers and elected officials regarding the needs, issues and concerns of older adults; to advocate on their behalf; and to empower seniors to effect change in their lives by providing a forum where members and the general public can meet, discuss and exchange ideas. HICA's main service is to provide advocacy through daily and weekly contacts. HICA's office serves seniors' individual problems.

HICA was formed in 1972. It is composed of seniors, organizations, senior centers and service providers. Together with its fellow IACs, affiliates and other aging advocates, HICA forms a broad based community coalition to address the problems of the elderly in central Harlem. These collaborative efforts focus on legislative initiatives and advocacy on senior issues and social welfare programs that provide the basis of major support and protection of the seniors' rights and entitlements.s

HICA conducts bi-monthly seminars / forums on current senior issues at which outstanding speakers and experts provide information on all areas of senior life. Attendees include seniors, agency staff and representative of local businesses and politicians. After each seminar, HICA offers counseling on the seminar topic and related issues.

The homebound elderly are served through telephone calls, home visits and periodic deliveries of food packages. On Thanksgiving, the youngsters deliver food baskets to home bound seniors.

Seniors and youngsters are brought together in intergeneration literacy and mentoring programs. On book reading days, seniors read to youngsters and backs of books collected in the community are distributed to each child.

HICA members volunteer in member centers.