NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur Rings In Lunar New Year with Celebration for Patients and Residents
Celebrating the Year of the Fire Horse
Mar 02, 2026
NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur Skilled Nursing Facility partnered with NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Gouverneur, part of the public health system’s network of primary care clinics, to celebrate the Lunar New Year, marking the Year of the Fire Horse, which officially began on February 17. This cultural celebration was an interactive experience rooted in traditional martial arts and performance art, signifying the prosperous year ahead.
It was a sea of bright red in the Gouverneur auditorium with vibrant décor and participants wearing red shirts to honor the Lunar New Year. In Chinese culture, red is associated with happiness, energy, and good fortune.
This year, New York Love Song and Dance Troupe, and the Wan Chi Ming Hung Gar Institute returned to Gouverneur to showcase their traditional Tai Chi Fan Dance and the highly anticipated Lion Dance. Performers choreographed the traditional Cai Qing where the lions “consume” lettuce (symbolizing good fortune) and “spit out” the remains to spread wealth and fortune to the audience. Long-term care residents also presented offerings of mandarin oranges (symbolizing gold) and red envelopes called hung bao in Mandarin and lai see in Cantonese, to promote good health and prosperity.
receive a mandarin orange for luck and good fortune
“At Gouverneur we are very lucky to be part of a diverse community with many cultures and faiths. The Lunar New Year Celebration is one of our most cherished celebrations,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur Chief Executive Officer Susan Sales, MPA, FACHE, LNHA. “It is a time where our residents, patients, staff and community are all amazed and entertained by the drums of the Lion Dance and the athleticism of the performers.”
“It’s an honor to celebrate Lunar New Year with our staff, patients, and community at Gotham Health, Gouverneur,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health Regional Medical Director, Manhattan, Morris Gagliardi, MD. “The Year of the Fire Horse will be a year of energy, confidence and forward momentum. We wish everyone a year filled with good health and happiness, as we work together to promote comprehensive healthcare for all in the community.”
“Lower Manhattan is home to one of the most vibrant Asian American communities in the country, and celebrations like this bring generations together,” said Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. “Seeing residents, families, and performers fill Gouverneur with the colors and traditions of Lunar New Year speaks to the heart of what public institutions should do — create spaces of belonging. I’m proud to stand with NYC Health + Hospitals as we celebrate the Year of the Fire Horse and wish everyone health, prosperity, and good fortune in the year ahead.”
“Lunar New Year is a time to celebrate community, culture, and renewal, and it is wonderful to see NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur bringing this tradition directly to patients, residents, and families on the Lower East Side,” said Council Member Christopher Marte. “Events like this honor the deep cultural roots of our neighborhood while reminding us that health care is about more than medicine, it is about dignity, joy, and connection. I am grateful to the staff, performers, and community partners who helped make this celebration so meaningful for everyone who calls Gouverneur home.”
“The Gouverneur Lunar New Year Celebration is a wonderful annual tradition that brings Lower Manhattan together to welcome the New Year as a community and a reminder of the vibrancy and diversity of our neighborhood,” said Congressman Dan Goldman. “May the Year of the Horse bring growth, hope, and optimism.”
abundance, and the flourishing year ahead
“We are thrilled to gather together to welcome the Year of the Horse and celebrate the Lunar New Year as one community,” said Gouverneur Community Advisory Board Chair Pauline Lock. “The Lunar New Year is a meaningful and cherished occasion—bringing together patients, families, staff, and neighbors to honor a tradition that symbolizes unity, renewal, and hope. Today, we celebrate not only the start of a new year, but also the strength and spirit of the community that makes Gouverneur so special.”
Local elected officials and community leaders joined Gouverneur to celebrate this cultural highlight of the year, receiving citations for the Lunar New Year from the offices of NYS Assembly Member Grace Lee and U.S. Congressmember Dan Goldman. NYC Care partner Raising Health also participated and shared information with families on the health care access program that provides comprehensive, low or no-cost healthcare services.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Rafael Dominguez, NYC Health + Hospitals/Post-Acute Care, 646-988-3599
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur
Conveniently located on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and accessible by mass transportation from most parts of New York City, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur operates a 295-bed Nursing Facility, providing state-of-the-art care for short-term rehabilitation, long-term and hospice care. Gouverneur is an academic affiliate of NYU School of Medicine and Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, providing high-quality sub-acute rehabilitation medicine and skilled nursing services. Gouverneur has been meeting the healthcare needs of New Yorkers for more than 140 years. The facility received a 5-star CMS Overall Rating and 5-Star CMS Quality Rating; ranked #1 in New York City by Newsweek’s 2026 Best Nursing Homes and has earned high-performance rating in long-term care and short-term rehabilitation by U.S. News & World Report – 2026 Best Nursing Homes. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/gouverneur.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
