Easter Seals

Easterseals Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is a work-based community service program for older workers, funded by the Department of Labor (DOL). Authorized by the Older American Act, the program provides subsidized, service-based training for low-income persons 55 or older, who are unemployed with poor employment prospects. SCSEP's mission is to promote economic self-sufficiency for older individuals seeking to achieve this goal. Program participants train at community nonprofits and government agencies, gaining skills to prepare them for employment.(See Schedule O for additional program information)In addition, Easterseals provides program participants training to help them become job-ready; this can include resume workshops, interview workshops, job search assistance, and other supports to become more employable.The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) administers SCSEP by awarding grants to 19 non-profit organizations (including Easterseals, Inc.) and to each of 56 state and territorial governments. Easterseals, a national SCSEP grantee since 2003 had 9 affiliate organizations working as sub-recipients of SCSEP during its 2019 program year. During the calendar year 2019, Easterseals served (2,894) participants and successfully trained many participants who were "most in need." Participants included (447) people over age 70; (1,723) homeless or at-risk of homelessness; (1,054) with a disability; (396) were veterans; (276) participants had limited English proficiency; (835) tested with low literacy skills; and (1,284) had an advanced education ranging from one year of college to doctoral degrees. (441) participants exited during the year for paid employment, with a median starting wage of ($11.25) per hour, made possible through their participation in the SCSEP. During this same period, Easterseals SCSEP participants provided (1,577,461) million hours of community service hours to local not-for-profit and government agencies through their training assignments. These community service hours greatly benefit local communities in addition to training SCSEP participants.

Fundraising Advisory: Training and consultation with Easterseals' affiliates to strengthen their relationships with donors and make the general public aware of the needs of children and adults with disabilities and their families.

Public Health Education: Creating a public awareness about individuals living with disabilities and the issues they face through multi-media public education campaigns, community advocacy, and by providing up-to-date resources about disabilities, disability awareness, opportunities, universal design, and other relevant topics. The primary focus is on young children, older adults, people living with autism, and military service members and veterans with disabilities.