Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, May 22, 2014

Experience Works, the nation's largest organization serving older workers through the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), invites Iowans to participate in May's Older Americans Month by recognizing Older Americans for their contributions and join in our nation's commitment to helping them stay healthy and active.

Through the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) older Americans like 86-year-old Aleine TAYLOR of Mount Ayr are placed in community service assignments to update job skills while making a difference in their community. In many assignments, participants have the opportunity to help others stay safe and healthy. As a kitchen assistant at Family Resource Center, TAYLOR has helped prepare meals for more than 60 children who attend the center each day. While she learned valuable skills, Family Resource Center benefited from an expanded workforce that helps meet the increasing need for its services. TAYLOR became such a valuable part of the staff that she was hired by the center.

This year's theme is "Safe Today. Healthy Tomorrow" and focuses on injury prevention and safety to encourage older adults to protect themselves and remain active and independent for as long as possible. Experience Works is committed to building bridges to opportunity for low-income older Americans to connect them with community resources that can enhance their quality of life - one that is safe self-sufficient, and engaging.

"Older American Month is the perfect time to remind Iowans that Experience Works is an important community resource for older individuals and their communities," says Ruth BOLINGER, Iowa state program manager for Experience Works. "We are currently seeking qualified applicants across the state to fill limited openings in the program."

Experience Works SCSEP is free to those who meet the eligbility criteria and provides paid community service training as a stepping stone to permanent jobs with local employers. Program applicants must be age 55 or older, unemployed, live in Iowa counties where Experience Works operates, and have incomes of $14,588 per year or less for a family of one. $19,663 for a family of two. (Call for additional guidelines for more family members.)

BOLINGER also wants to connect with public and non-profit organizations interested in becoming community partners.

"With an increased number of community partners, we can better serve older individuals - and that translates into healthier and stronger communities," she said.

SCSEP is funded through the U.S. Department of Labor and administered by Experience Works, Inc., a national non-profit organization.

For more information , call Experience Works toll-free 877-314-7385 or visit www.experienceworks.org.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2014