Goodwill Industries Blog

The American economy finally appears to be on the rebound, but one of the most underreported lefacies of the great recession remains: the extraordinary number of senior citizens who are living in poverty or struggling to make ends meet.  A study released last week shows that 9 million older Americans can't pay their bills.  A full 1 out of 3 senior citizens is now economically insecure - either already in poverty, or living just a health problem, missed car payment, or lost job away from financial crisis.

 

People on all sides of the political spectrum are sure to agree that anyone who has spent his or her life working deserves not to face financial hardship in their golden years.  Many older Americans aren't looking for a handout - merely the abiity to continue earning a living.  Today,  Congress has an opportunity to give millions of seniors the chance to do just that.

 

The Older Americans Act (OAA), which for almost 50 years has been the major national vehicle for the organization and delivery of social services to seniors, is up for reauthorization this year.  Goodwill is proud to be among the co-sponsors of the One Away campaign, which is calling on congress to protect and strengthen the OAA.

 

Among the many important programs authorized under OAA is the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) - the only federal program disigend to prepare older workers for the modern labor market.  Through SCSEP, Goodwill matches older workers with nonprofits and public agencies that can procide on-the-job training opportunities, and then assists them with transitioning into regular employment.  Since 2006, Goodwill has served more than 6,000 seniors through SCSEP, helping more than 1,600 earn subsidized employment and live self-sufficiently and securely, which ultimately saves taxpayers millions of dollars each year.

 

One such indicidual is 64-year-old Gretchen "Wendy" Harris of Tacoma, WA.  After a 30-year career in the accoutning, banking defense contracting fields, she had to stop working after macular degeneration cause her progressive vision loss.  Like many seniors with disabilities, Harris thought she might never find employent again.  The she found SCSEP through the Tacoma Goodwill.  She became a participant, received job training, learned about accommodations that could help her perform a variety of duties, and found a position as a receptionist trainee at the Vision Loss Center in the State of Washington.  Within a year, she received a promotion, and is now economically self-sufficient. 

 

"Before entering the program, I thought my life was over," said Harris.  "SCSEP interrupted that.  It's a window into a life I didn't know I'd ever have again.  It's amazing...just amazing."

 

At Goodwill Industries of Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana, we believe that every older American deserves the same shot that Harris received: the chance to live self-sufficiently through the power of work.  As Congress moved to reauthorize the OAA this year, we are urging its members to protect and strengthen programs like SCSEP in order to ensure that no older American lives one step away from economic crisis. 

 

At OneAway.org more than 4,600 older Americans have shared their stories as they struggled to make ends meet.  If you or someone in your family is in a similar situation, I encourage you to share your story and tell congress that the time to stand up for older Americans is now.