Aarp Foundation

AARP FOUNDATION IS TACKLING SENIOR POVERTY BY SPARKING BOLD, INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT HELP VULNERABLE OLDER ADULTS BUILD ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND SOCIAL CONNECTION.

WORKFORCE PROGRAMSSENIOR COMMUNITY SERVICE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM:FUNDED BY A GRANT FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, THE AARP FOUNDATION SENIOR COMMUNITY SERVICE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM (SCSEP) HAS OPERATED FOR OVER 50 YEARS AND IS THE OLDEST AND LARGEST OLDER WORKER PROGRAM IN THE COUNTRY. SCSEP ORGANIZES TRAINING ASSIGNMENTS THAT HELP PARTICIPANTS BUILD JOB SKILLS WHILE GIVING BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY. THE TRAINING ASSIGNMENTS ARE WITH NONPROFIT AND PUBLIC FACILITIES LIKE DAY CARE CENTERS, SENIOR CENTERS, SCHOOLS, AND HOSPITALS, WHERE SCSEP PARTICIPANTS TRAIN AN AVERAGE OF 20 HOURS A WEEK IN A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY SERVICE POSITIONS. WITH ON-THE-JOB TRAINING EXPERIENCE AND UPDATED SKILLS, PARTICIPANTS IMPROVE THEIR ABILITY TO FIND PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT. IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SCSEP, PARTICIPANTS MUST BE 55 OR OLDER, UNEMPLOYED, AND HAVE AN INCOME NOT MORE THAN 125% OF THE ESTABLISHED FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES. AARP FOUNDATION SCSEP SERVES MORE THAN 12,000 PEOPLE ANNUALLY IN 90 MUNICIPALITIES, 19 STATES, AND PUERTO RICO. AT LEAST 75% OF SCSEP PARTICIPANTS RETAIN EMPLOYMENT NINE MONTHS AFTER TAKING PART IN THE PROGRAM AND HAS PLACED PARTICIPANTS WITH MORE THAN 9,000 EMPLOYERS IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. WWW.AARPFOUNDATION.ORG/SCSEPBACK TO WORK 50+: SINCE 2013, BACK TO WORK 50+ (BTW50+) HAS SERVED UNEMPLOYED JOBSEEKERS 50 AND OLDER WITH A SUITE OF TOOLS AND COACHING RESOURCES TO HELP THEM COMPETE WITH CONFIDENCE FOR TODAY'S IN-DEMAND JOBS. FOUNDATIONAL TO ITS SUCCESS IS A NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO IMPLEMENT PROGRAM COMPONENTS IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. TRAINED CAREER TRANSITION COACHES HOST IN-PERSON AND ONLINE COACHING PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE A JOB SEARCH GUIDE AND WORKBOOK, GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS, CONNECTIONS TO SKILLS TRAINING, AND ACCESS TO EMPLOYERS. THE PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE NATIONALLY THROUGH WEBINARS HOSTED BY AARP FOUNDATION COACHES, AND IN EIGHT STATES THROUGH 14 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES. WWW.AARPFOUNDATION.ORG/BACKTOWORKWORK FOR YOURSELF@50+: THROUGH NATIONWIDE PARTNERS, THE WORK FOR YOURSELF@50+ (WFY@50+) PROGRAM MAKES IT EASY FOR PEOPLE OVER 50 TO EXPLORE SELF-EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS, WITH FREE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT CAN HELP THEM INCREASE THEIR FINANCIAL STABILITY. A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS AND A TOOLKIT GUIDE PARTICIPANTS THROUGH FIVE SIMPLE STEPS WHILE PROVIDING COACHING AND PEER SUPPORT. AN ONLINE FREELANCING RESOURCE CENTER PROVIDES ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND ADVICE. THE WORK FOR YOURSELF@50+ INCUBATOR PROGRAM, POWERED BY BRIDGE FOR BILLIONS, HELPS OLDER ADULTS WITH LOW-INCOME LAUNCH AND DEVELOP SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES THROUGH AN ONLINE PLATFORM, VIRTUAL MENTORSHIP, AND COACHING SESSIONS. WFY@50+ HAS SERVED MORE THAN 52,000 OLDER ADULTS SINCE IT LAUNCHED IN 2016, AND AARP FOUNDATION COLLABORATES WITH MORE THAN 21 ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS 16 STATES AND WASHINGTON, D.C., TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM. WWW.WORKFORYOURSELF.AARPFOUNDATION.ORGDIGITAL SKILLS READY@50+THE DIGITAL SKILLS READY@50+ INITIATIVE, MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A $10 MILLION GRANT FROM GOOGLE.ORG THROUGH THE TIDES FOUNDATION, WAS CREATED TO MEET A PRESSING NEED: DIGITAL SKILLS TRAINING FOR PEOPLE OVER 50 WHO ARE LIVING WITH LOW INCOME, WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR. THE TRAININGS HELP TO INCREASE OLDER ADULTS' ECONOMIC SECURITY AND SOCIAL CONNECTIONS THROUGH A CURRICULUM FOCUSED ON BASIC DIGITAL SKILLS TO HELP THEM FIND AND SECURE JOBS, CHANGE CAREERS, OR EXPLORE ENTREPRENEURSHIP. THE PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY ROLLING OUT ACROSS EIGHT STATES.

TAX AND CREDIT PROGRAMSTAX-AIDE:AARP FOUNDATION TAX-AIDE PROVIDES IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL TAX PREPARATION HELP TO ANYONE, FREE OF CHARGE, WITH A FOCUS ON TAXPAYERS WHO ARE OVER 50 AND HAVE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME. TAX-AIDE IS THE LARGEST FREE, VOLUNTEER-BASED TAX ASSISTANCE AND PREPARATION PROGRAM IN THE U.S. WITH OVER 25,000 VOLUNTEERS NATIONWIDE. TAX-AIDE VOLUNTEERS ARE TRAINED AND IRS-CERTIFIED EVERY YEAR TO MAKE SURE THEY KNOW ABOUT AND UNDERSTAND THE LATEST CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE TAX CODE. WWW.AARPFOUNDATION.ORG/TAXAIDEPROPERTY TAX-AIDE:AARP FOUNDATION PROPERTY TAX-AIDE HELPS OLDER ADULTS WITH LOW INCOME TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PROPERTY TAX REFUND AND CREDIT PROGRAMS, SAVING THEM MONEY AND HELPING THEM STAY IN THEIR HOMES LONGER. PROPERTY TAX-AIDE USES AN INNOVATIVE ONLINE FINTECH TOOL TO SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS OF APPLYING FOR PROPERTY TAX REFUNDS AND CREDITS. TRAINED PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS USE AN ELIGIBILITY SCREENER TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY FOR A PROPERTY TAX REFUND OR CREDIT. THE VOLUNTEERS THEN USE AN APPLICATION WIZARD TO HELP ELIGIBLE OLDER ADULTS COMPLETE THE APPROPRIATE FORMS AND PREPARE THEM FOR FILING. ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE BOTH IN PERSON AND ONLINE. WE CURRENTLY SERVE 12 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND PLAN TO EXPAND NATIONWIDE TO ALL STATES OFFERING PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.

BENEFITS PROGRAMSSUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) APPLICATION ASSISTANCE:AARP FOUNDATION IS HELPING TO INCREASE ENROLLMENT IN THE SNAP FOR ELIGIBLE OLDER ADULTS SO THEY CAN RECEIVE AND USE SNAP BENEFITS TO BUY HEALTHY FOOD - AFFORDABLY. THIS INCLUDES SUPPORT OF ESAP, THE ELDERLY SIMPLIFIED APPLICATION PROCESS. THROUGH GRANTMAKING, AARP FOUNDATION SUPPORTS NONPROFIT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN 10 STATES THAT RECEIVED WAIVERS FROM THE USDA TO ENACT THE ELDERLY SIMPLIFIED APPLICATION PROJECT (ESAP). ESAP STREAMLINES THE APPLICATION PROCESS, MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE OVER 60 AND HAVE NO EARNED INCOME TO RECEIVE SNAP BENEFITS. THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS USE THESE GRANTS TO FIELD MORE CALLS AND SIGN UP MORE SENIORS FOR SNAP. AARP FOUNDATION ALSO HELPS ADDITIONAL STATES APPLY FOR ESAP WAIVERS SO THE PROGRAM CAN REACH MORE OLDER ADULTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND SUPPORT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION ONCE THE WAIVER IS GRANTED.EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT:AARP FOUNDATION IS HELPING ELIGIBLE OLDER ADULTS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT (EITC), A REFUNDABLE CREDIT THAT SUPPLEMENTS INCOMES FOR WORKERS EARNING LOW WAGES. THROUGH THE TAX-AIDE PROGRAM, AARP FOUNDATION IS PROVIDING TAXPAYERS IN OVER 3,000 COMMUNITIES WITH FREE TAX PREPARATION AND FILING SERVICES, ENSURING THAT ELIGIBLE OLDER ADULTS CLAIM THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT WHEN THEY FILE. AARP FOUNDATION IS ALSO FOCUSED ON EFFORTS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE EITC AMONG ELIGIBLE OLDER ADULTS, LAUNCHING GRANTS AND MARKETING IN 2022 TO RAISE AWARENESS AND SUPPORT TEMPORARY EITC ELIGIBILITY EXPANSION. MEDICARE SAVINGS PROGRAM:STATE MEDICARE SAVINGS PROGRAMS (MSP) CAN HELP PAY PREMIUMS, DEDUCTIBLES, COINSURANCE, COPAYMENTS, AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE COSTS BUT MANY OLDER ADULTS DON'T KNOW THEY EXIST, AND THE PROCESS CAN BE CONFUSING. AARP FOUNDATION IS FOCUSED ON REACHING OLDER ADULTS WITH LOW INCOME WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR MSP BUT ARE NOT ENROLLED TO HELP THEM APPLY FOR THIS VALUABLE ASSISTANCE.STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT TOOL:OLDER ADULTS ARE THE FASTEST GROWING GROUP OF STUDENT LOAN BORROWERS, CARRYING THIS DEBT INTO MIDDLE AGE AND BEYOND. OF THE 45 MILLION ADULTS WHO HOLD STUDENT LOAN DEBT, 1 IN 5 ARE 50 OR OLDER. THESE 9 MILLION OLDER ADULTS OWE MORE THAN $387 BILLION IN STUDENT LOANS. THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OFFERS CRITICAL, YET UNDER-UTILIZED SAFETY NET PROGRAMS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE FINANCIAL SECURITY OF OLDER ADULT STUDENT LOAN BORROWERS.THE GOAL OF OUR STUDENT LOAN DEBT PROGRAM IS TO INCREASE ENROLLMENT IN THE FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN PROGRAMS SUCH AS INCOME DRIVEN REPAYMENT, PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS, FRESH START, AND OTHERS. AARP FOUNDATION IS RAISING AWARENESS OF THESE FEDERAL PROGRAMS AND SUPPORTING BORROWERS THROUGH THE ENROLLMENT PROCESS. AARP FOUNDATION IS PARTNERING WITH SAVI TO SUPPORT OLDER STUDENT LOAN BORROWERS IN NAVIGATING COMPLICATED ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND PROCESSING PAPERWORK WITH THEIR LOAN SERVICERS.