DSAAPD Celebrates National Employ Older Workers Week

Mr. William Abernathy is shown here
presenting a Governor's Proclamation.
Mr. Abernathy is the Senior Community Service Employment Program
Contract Manager at DSAAPD.

Delaware Health and Social Services' Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DSAAPD) honored six older Delawareans and three employers on September 25, 2003, as part of a celebration of National Employ Older Workers Week.

DSAAPD's Director Allan R. Zaback  honored the individuals and the employers at a ceremony held at the Modern Maturity Center in Dover. Mr. William Abernathy,  Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) Contract Manager at DSAAPD, was also on hand to honor the participants.

Honored as Outstanding Older Workers were:

• Anna Case, New Castle County;
• Mildred Jerry, Kent County; and
• Marie Higley, Sussex County.

Recognized as Oldest Participants Honored in the Senior Community Service Employment Program were:

• Edward McGovern, New Castle County;
• Louise Conquest, Kent County; and
• Julius Frazier, Sussex County.

Honored as Outstanding Employers of Older Workers were:

• Financial Assistance Information Theocentric Help Center (F.A.I.T.H. Center, Inc.) in New Castle County;
• Home Instead Senior Care in Kent County; and
• Johnny Janosik, Inc. in Sussex County.

The six individual honorees were participants in the SCSEP, a part-time employment program for low-income persons age 55 or over. The program is federally funded through the Older Americans Act. Program participants work at community and government agencies, as well as for-profit businesses. They are paid at the federal or state minimum wage, whichever is higher. In addition to gaining on-the-job experience, enrollees attend workshop training and receive employment guidance. They use their participation as a bridge to other employment positions that are not supported with federal funds. The program is administered in Delaware by DSAAPD through contracts with the Wilmington Senior Center in New Castle County, the Modern Maturity Center in Kent County and the First State Community Action Agency in Sussex County.

In Delaware, approximately 70 percent of all seniors 55 and older are contributing to the common good by working as paid employees or volunteers. Nationwide, older workers help our society to flourish by contributing their accumulated wisdom, experience and insight. The federal government and the State of Delaware are striving to encourage and support employers to hire mature workers by making employers aware of the fact that older workers are a valuable resource to our economy and represent a stable and productive workforce.

See our Employ Older Worker Week Photo Page to see photos taken at the ceremony.

For more information, please visit theSenior Community Service Employment Program page of our web site.