Senior Community Service Employment Program

According to the Resident Population by Race and State 2010 Census Statistics, the race of Alabama residents is broken up by the following: *Alabama Population by Race White Alone 3327891 Black or African American Alone 1269808 Two or More Races 76428 Other 58618 Asian Alone 58322 American Indian/Alaska Native Alone 25181

Statewide, the Latino or Hispanic population grew 145% since the last U.S Census, adding 109,772 people to the state’s population, and nearly 78,000 people 65 years of age and older. Latino’s now make up 4.0% of the population, compared with 1.7% as reported by the 2000 U.S. Census. The largest increases in Latino population were in Jefferson, Madison, and Shelby counties, specifically in more urban geographic areas. The average age of the Hispanic population in Alabama is 23.7 years of age, indicating that the flux has not occurred within the 55 and older population as rapidly as the under 55 years of age population. To address the growing Hispanic population in Alabama, Senior Service America Inc. (SSAI) received funding from the AARP Foundation for a Latino/Hispanic Elders Peer Community Interpreters project. This project focuses on three unmet needs: (1) the needs of low income 50+ Hispanic workers at risk due to prolonged unemployment and financial insecurity; (2) the need of our publicly funded social service and workforce development systems to substantially improve their outreach and service to Hispanics; and (3) the need to develop policies that would support "Community Interpreters" as a critical element of a larger plan to reduce the impact of Limited English proficiency as a barrier to employment and services. SSAI’s “Community Interpreters” project recruits, trains, deploys, and provides ongoing support to a minimum of 25 low income 50+ Hispanics who serve as Community Interpreters in 18-22 social service and workforce development agencies in greater Birmingham, AL, and Charlotte, NC. The goal of this project is for the peer Community Interpreters to increase the number of unserved, unemployed and underemployed 50+ Hispanic workers accessing available employment and social services.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, African American’s represent 26.5% of the state’s population, however the concentration of African Americans in certain counties over others shows the significant differences in geographic distribution of the population by race. The Asian population in Alabama remains low at 1.2% across the state.