WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of more than $140 million in grants to 19 non-profit organizations nationwide to provide critical job training and employment services through the Senior Community Service Employment Program.
“The grants announced today provide important opportunities for low-income seniors to improve their employment situation and contribute to the mission of non-profit organizations nationwide,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. “These funds support our goal of helping every American who wants to work find a job that leads to better economic stability.” Twenty grants are being awarded to 19 national non-profit organizations through the program’s general funds or funds set aside by statute to serve Native Americans or Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. The grants will support more than 34,000 positions. In addition, state and territorial grantees, which are awarded separately from this competition through a formula process, provide services for an additional 10,000 positions.
These awards provide funding through the end of Program Year 2016. After Program Year 2016, the department expects these grantees to receive approximately $337 million annually for an additional three years, subject to appropriations.
The SCSEP fosters economic self-sufficiency for older, low-income adults by providing tangible job skills training through community service assignments at non-profit and public facilities. Participants are unemployed, low-income individuals ages 55 years and older with poor employment prospects who will gain access to needed services. These services include orientations, community service assignments, occupational, work skills and aptitude assessments, skills training, free physical examinations, an assessment of needs-based supportive services and job search assistance. Participants can also receive employment assistance through the American Job Centers.
SCSEP participants spend more than 34 million hours per year working in community service assignments at public agencies and non-profit organizations while simultaneously developing crucial job skills that foster self-sufficiency.
Editor’s note: A breakdown of the grantees, their locations and award amounts follows this news release.
Senior Community Service Employment Program General Grantees Grantee City State 2016 Award Asociación Nacional Pro Personas Mayores Pasadena CA $6,182,475 The WorkPlace Bridgeport CT $5,123,777 AARP Foundation Washington DC $20,543,597 National Caucus and Center on Black Aging, Inc.
Washington DC $10,894,087 Easter Seals, Inc.
Chicago IL $9,839,429 National Able Network, Inc.
Chicago IL $2,380,051 Senior Service America, Inc.
Silver Spring MD $20,531,474 Goodwill Industries, Inc.
Rockville MD $9,803,062 Operation A.B.L.E. of Greater Boston Boston MA $2,198,213 The National Urban League New York NY $6,251,169 Mature Services, Inc.
Akron OH $2,056,784 SER-Jobs for Progress National, Inc.
Irving TX $10,138,451 National Older Worker Career Center, Inc.
Arlington VA $905,147 Experience Works, Inc.
Arlington VA $4,784,347 The National Council on Aging Arlington VA $15,698,638 Vermont Associates for Training and Development, Inc.
Saint Albans VT $4,263,079 The National Asian Pacific Center on Aging* Seattle WA $3,923,649 Sub-Total General Grants $135,517,428 Senior Community Service Employment Program Set-Aside Grantees Grantee City State 2016 Award Institute for Indian Development, Inc.
Houma LA $929,392 The National Indian Council on Aging Albuquerque NM $1,616,333 The National Asian Pacific Center on Aging* Seattle WA $2,545,725 Sub-Total Set-Aside Grants $5,091,450 Grand Total $140,608,878 *The National Asian Pacific Center on Aging is receiving both a grant from the program's general funds and a grant to serve Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders from the program’s set-aside funds.
