Federal Grant to Fund Work for Seniors

George Burns, the great American comedian and centenarian who worked right up until his death at age 100 in 1996, once said, "Age to me means nothing. I can't get old; I'm working. I was old when I was 21 and out of work. As long as you're working, you stay young." Whether work indeed holds the key to youth and longevity is debatable, but more and more of our country's seniors are staying in the workforce. For some, it's a choice; for others, a necessity.

Economists say the recession, coupled with the increased cost of living and a shift from more defined-benefit to contribution-based retirement plans, has forced many seniors back into the job pool. A recent New York Times article reported that this year, for the first time on record, the number of seniors has surpassed the number of teenagers in the workforce. Unfortunately, like lots of other American workers these days, many seniors are left searching for a job. The U.S. Department of Labor Statistics estimates more than a million workers over 55 are unemployed. However, recent good news from the federal government may help some unemployed seniors in Arkansas find work. Earlier this month, the U.S Department of Labor announced $11.3 million in federal grant money will help create 1,171 new jobs for Arkansas senior citizens, through the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP). The program helps provide 20-hour-per-week positions for unemployed Arkansans 55 and older, whose income is not more than 125 percent of the federal poverty level.

In addition to helping the individual, the jobs are beneficial to the community. These include positions at day-care centers, senior centers, schools and hospitals. SCSEP not only provides community service jobs, but offers work-based training to help individuals find jobs outside the program, too. Experience Works, Inc., a non-profit group that helps older adults find employment and training, received $4.5 million of the grant money. The group provides close to 1,000 positions around the state. Christy Manning-Owen, director of Experience Works in Arkansas, said the need for this job service is tremendous. "We have a lot of people making daily decisions as to whether they should pay for medication or rent. Without assistance from this program, they would continue in that situation."

Other organizations receiving funding to provide SCSEP jobs include the Arkansas Department of Human Services, AARP, National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc., and the Institute for Indian Development, Inc. Our mature, experienced workers are valuable to the state, and we should be glad that more resources have been designated to help them find the jobs and financial security they need and deserve. For more information on how to obtain a SCSEP position, call toll free 1-866-976-5939.



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