The DOL announced nearly $260 million in grants to
provide job training and related services to unemployed and low-income seniors.
The dollar dollar bills are awarded to 15 non-profit organizations across the
country for Senior Community Service Employment Programs.
Secretary of Labor, Hilda L. Solis said the
following about the grants:
“The federal grants announced today will provide job training to enhance low-income seniors’ employment opportunities and contribute millions of community service hours to nonprofit and civic organizations throughout the county. These organizations are crucial partners in serving seniors who face challenges in re-entering the workforce and attaining economic stability.”
We’ll have to wait and see what the work requirements
for the seniors are. Also, who doesn't like the idea that the elderly who are poor have to work long wage dead end jobs, what do they have to live for anyway? And they're probably used to it.
Grants will be disbursed as sixteen one year grants
to fifteen non-profit organizations through the program’s general funds or
funds set aside by statute to serve Native Americans or Asian-American and
Pacific Islanders. The grant should support more than 35,000 positions. State
and territorial grantees which had previously received funding through this
program will continue to support 10,000 jobs.
The Senior Community Service Employment Program
(SCSEP) is the only federally sponsored employment and training program for
unemployed, low-income individuals 55+ years old. The grants serve individuals
by providing training through part-time, service-oriented positions in their
communities while earning the highest federal, state, or local minimum wage.
The program’s goals are to promote community service and help participants
achieve economic self-sufficiency. The Program’s participants supply more than
48 million hours of community service to public agencies and non-profits.
The Government Accountability Office reports older
workers who become unemployed tend to stay unemployed longer, and those who
regain employment suffer greater wage loss than younger workers. This
information was released in their paper “Unemployed Older Workers: Many
Experience Challenges Regaining Employment and Face Reduced Retirement
Security.”
The 2011 SCSEP Satisfaction Survey said than program
participants who find unsubsidized employment indicated that SCSEP was helpful.
Shocking, they’d release controversial information like that. This information
came out in a COL ETA News Release, Release Number: 12-1525-NAT.
Below is a breakdown of grantees, locations, etc.
Grantee
|
City
|
State
|
Amount
|
AARP
Foundation Inc.
|
Washington
|
D.C.
|
$51,997,773
|
Asociación
Nacional Pro Personas Mayores
|
Pasadena
|
Calif.
|
$6,436,990
|
Easter
Seals Inc.
|
Chicago
|
Ill.
|
$13,114,000
|
Experience
Works Inc.
|
Arlington
|
Va.
|
$64,900,844
|
Goodwill
Industries Inc.
|
Rockville
|
Md.
|
$8,466,277
|
Mature
Services Inc.
|
Akron
|
Ohio
|
$3,804,007
|
National
Asian Pacific Center on Aging*
|
Seattle
|
Wash.
|
$6,639,267.50
|
National
Able Network Inc.
|
Chicago
|
Ill.
|
$4,371,334
|
National
Caucus and Center on Black Aged Inc.
|
Washington
|
D.C.
|
$10,379,190
|
National
Council on Aging
|
Washington
|
D.C.
|
$19,121,856
|
National
Indian Council on Aging
|
Albuquerque
|
N.M.
|
$4,580,886.50
|
National
Urban League Inc.
|
New
York City
|
N.Y.
|
$6,560,636
|
SER
– Jobs for Progress Inc.
|
Irving
|
Texas
|
$18,889,106
|
Senior
Service America Inc.
|
Silver
Spring
|
Md.
|
$37,690,930
|
Vermont
Associates for Training and Development Inc.
|
St.
Albans
|
Vt.
|
$2,865,734
|
Total
|
$259,818,830
|
||
