Federal Funding Halt Forces Senior Job Program Suspension

AKRON — A critical federal funding delay has forced Vantage Aging to suspend its Senior Community Service Employment Program across Northeast Ohio, leaving hundreds of older adults without vital employment opportunities and threatening essential community services.

The organization paused all SCSEP activities July 1 due to delayed federal guidance and funding from the U.S. Department of Labor for Program Year 2025. The program serves as the nation’s largest employment initiative for low-income, unemployed adults aged 55 and older.

“For many participants, SCSEP is more than a program—it’s a lifeline, providing a vital source of income, purpose, and hope,” said Tammy Bigler, Director of Workforce Development at Vantage Aging. “This delay in funding risks not only their well-being but also the essential services that local communities depend on.”

The suspension immediately impacts community services across more than a dozen counties, including Cuyahoga, Lorain, Trumbull, Mahoning, Summit and Stark. SCSEP participants typically contribute over 70,000 hours of service each quarter, staffing food pantries, assisting with public benefit programs and providing other vital community services.

With participants absent from their posts, already strained community organizations face additional pressure to maintain services. The program provides paid, part-time community service training opportunities while participants build skills and prepare to re-enter the workforce.

Vantage Aging administers SCSEP across 38 Ohio counties and 31 Indiana counties as both a national grantee and subgrantee to both states. The organization has urgently appealed to federal officials for immediate funding release.

“Every day of delay means real harm—both to the older adults striving to rebuild their lives through meaningful work, and to the community programs already stretched thin that rely on their contributions,” Bigler said.

The nonprofit organization, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, also operates Meals on Wheels of Northeast Ohio and AmeriCorps Seniors programs. Vantage Aging focuses on promoting positive aging perceptions and empowering older adults to maintain independent, fulfilling lives.