A federally funded jobs program for seniors in South Florida is set to restart after an abrupt shutdown earlier this year left 225 older workers without employment.
The Senior Community Service Employment Program, which provides part-time jobs for adults ages 55 and older, was shuttered on Aug. 31 after the U.S. Department of Labor froze its $1.8 million annual grant to the Urban League of Palm Beach County.
Funding restored for senior jobs program
The program helps seniors fill financial gaps between retirement benefits and daily living expenses like rent, groceries and medical bills.
Patrick Franklin, president and CEO of the Urban League of Palm Beach County, said the organization was informed at the end of September that funding would be released, but the federal government shutdown has injected uncertainty into the process of re-launching. The Urban League administers the program for Broward and Miami-Dade counties…