PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — 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.
WATCH BELOW: Senior jobs program returning amid funding uncertainty
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.
"The chaotic roller coaster that we're on— we're off today, on tomorrow. Who knows what next week is going to be?" Franklin said.
When WPTV first reported on the program's closure in August, Franklin said the funding was cut at the end of June, and that the national Urban League funded the program for the final two months.
The program shutdown forced the Urban League of Palm Beach County to close its Broward County office permanently, lay off staff and donate furniture and equipment to other nonprofits.
Maralyn Lewis was among those laid off at the Broward County office.
"I was bombarded with calls. The participants were all disappointed," Lewis told WPTV in August.
Lewis is a retiree from New York whose job was funded by the senior jobs program.
"Being older, there's so much competition and a lot of people seeking employment," Lewis said.
"There are no funds. So we're still in a limbo, but we've been ordered to be ready to go Nov. 1," Franklin said.
He noted that the program will resume the first weekend of November, regardless of federal funding.
"It's just a necessary component for our seniors. Two hundred twenty-five seniors will have a part-time job that fills the gaps that they have between their retirement, their benefits and their daily needs to live, to pay their rent, to buy their groceries, to pay their medical bills," Franklin said.
Franklin said the Urban League of Palm Beach County plans to front the money to relaunch the program from Miami.
"We are on a roller coaster that doesn't seem to stop," Franklin said. "And at the end of the day, my goal is to make sure that we're open to serve those in need every day."
Seniors in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast can access the program through AARP.
"This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy."
