SSAI receives $51 million grant to provide civic engagement, job training opportunities

For Immediate Release November 1, 2005
Contact: Sue Carroll 301-578-8868

Silver Spring, Md. — Senior Service America Inc. (SSAI), a national nonprofit organization that focuses on civic engagement for low-income older workers, has received a $51 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to administer the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP, pronounced SEE-sep). Funds will be dispersed to 108 nonprofit organizations in 23 states and the District of Columbia to assist qualifying seniors provide valuable community service while learning marketable job skills.

Participants, who must be at least 55 years old, receive minimum wage while working in community service positions in government and at nonprofit organizations.

Nationally, 31 percent of SSAI’s SCSEP participants – nearly one in five– gained permanent employment through the program last year. “We are proud that our participants contribute much needed assistance in their local communities while they develop marketable job skills,” Anthony R. Sarmiento, SSAI’s president and executive director, said.

“We want older workers to have a good experience and to be more marketable, and we also want that effort to contribute to the community,” he said.

Agencies receiving SCSEP funding from SSAI are:


Alabama

Alabama-Tombigbee Regional Commission, Camden
East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission, Anniston
Jefferson County Commission, Birmingham
North-central Alabama Regional Council of Governments, Decatur
Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments, Muscle Shoals
Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham, Birmingham
South Central Alabama Development Commission, Montgomery
Southeast Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission,     Dothan
Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments, Huntsville
West Alabama Regional Commission, Northport

California

Alliance on Aging, Inc., Salinas
Chinese Committee on Aging, Los Angeles
City of Oakland, Oakland
Community Options, San Diego
Community Options Division, San Bernardino
County of Orange, Santa Ana
The Center for Senior Employment, Modesto (serving Stanislaus County)
The Center for Senior Employment, Modesto (serving Contra Costa and Marin counties)
Work Training Programs, Inc., San Luis, Obispo

Connecticut

City of Bridgeport, Bridgeport
Community Action Agency of New Haven, Inc., New Haven
Community Renewal Team, Inc., Hartford
John J. Driscoll United Labor Agency, Inc., New Britain

Washington, D.C.

D.C. Department of Employment Services

Florida

Dr. Piper Center for Social Services, Inc., Fort Myers

Iowa

Community Action Agency of Siouxland, Sioux City
West Central Development Corporation, Harlan

Illinois

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Chicago
Catholic Social Service, Mt. Carmel
Chicago Federation of Labor - Workers Assistance Committee, Chicago
City of Kankakee, Kankakee
Jewish Vocational Service and Employment Center, Chicago
Project NOW, Inc., Moline
Southern Illinois Collegiate Common Market, Harrisburg

Indiana

A.C.T.I.O.N. Inc. of Delaware County, Muncie
Catholic Charities Fort Wayne/South Bend, South Bend

Louisiana

Evangeline Council on Aging, Inc., Ville Platte
Lafayette Council on Aging, Inc., Lafayette

Massachusetts

Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Boston, Lynn
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Worcester, Worcester
Citizens for Citizens, Fall River
City of Boston, Boston
City of Springfield Department of Elder Affairs/Good Life Center, Springfield
City of Worcester, Worcester
Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands, Inc., South Dennis
Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley, Inc., Lawrence

Maryland

Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corp., Millersville
Baltimore City Health Department, Baltimore
Baltimore County Department of Aging, Towson
Family and Children`s Services of Central Maryland, Baltimore
Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington, Rockville
MAC, Inc., Salisbury
Prince George’s County Department of Family Services, Camp Springs

Michigan

Capital Area Community Services, Inc., Lansing
Flint Community Schools, Flint
HelpSource, Ann Arbor
Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency, Pontiac

Minnesota

City of Duluth Workforce Development, Duluth
East Side Neighborhood Service, Inc., Minneapolis
Jewish Vocational Services, Minneapolis
Keystone Community Services, Inc., St. Paul

Mississippi

City of Jackson Senior Services Division, Jackson
Copiah - Lincoln Community College, Wesson
Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District, Gulfport

North Carolina

Cape Fear Area United Way, Inc., Wilmington
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Senior Centers, Inc., Charlotte
Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, Fayetteville
North Carolina Central University, Durham
Senior Resources of Guilford, Greensboro
State of Franklin Health Council Inc., Bryson City
Winston-Salem Urban League, Winston-Salem

New York

Chautauqua County Office for the Aging, Mayville
Chinese-American Planning Council Inc., New York
Church Avenue Merchants Block Association, Inc., Brooklyn
Jamaica Service Program for Older Adults, Inc., Jamaica
Pro Action of Steuben and Yates, Inc., Bath
Resource Center for Independent Living, Utica
Rockland County Office for the Aging, Pomona
Schenectady County Office for the Aging, Schenectady
Supportive Services Corporation, Buffalo
The Partnership for the Homeless, Inc., New York
The Urban League of Westchester County, White Plains

Ohio

Columbiana County Mental Health Clinic, Lisbon
Community Action Program Corporation of Washington-Morgan Counties, Marietta
Senior AIDES Program, Ashtabula
Senior Resource Connection, Dayton

Pennsylvania

Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging, Pittsburgh
Butler County Senior AIDES Program-Tri County WIB/Career , T.R.A.C.K., Butler
Consolidated Training and Services, Inc., Tamaqua
Greater Erie Community Action Committee, Erie
Lancaster County Office of Aging, Lancaster
Luzerne/Wyoming Counties Bureau for the Aging, Wilkes-Barre

Rhode Island

East Bay Community Action Program, East Providence
Senior Aide Employment and Training Program, Warwick

South Carolina

Charleston Area Senior Citizens` Services, Inc., Charleston
Lowcountry Council of Governments, Yemassee

Tennessee

Alexian Senior Neighbors of Chattanooga, Inc., Chattanooga
Knoxville Senior AIDES Program, Knoxville
Northwest Tennessee Human Resource Agency, Inc., Martin
Senior Citizens Services, Inc., Memphis

Texas

Amarillo Senior Citizens Association, Inc., Amarillo
Conley Guerrero Senior Activity Center, Austin

Wisconsin

Council for the Spanish Speaking, Inc., Milwaukee
N.E.W. Curative Rehabilitation, Inc., Green Bay
Senior Citizens Employment and Training, Inc., Eau Claire
Senior Community Services of Southeastern Wisconsin Inc., Kenosha
The Marathon County Department of Employment and Training, Wausau

West Virginia

Marion County Commission, Fairmont

Senior Service America is one of 13 national organizations that administer the SCSEP, and it is the third largest (behind AARP and Experience Works).

For more information about the SCSEP or to schedule an interview, please call Sue Carroll, 301-578-8868 or email scarroll@ssa-i.org.

The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) of Senior Service America is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. SCSEP is an equal opportunity program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.