(3/21/98 Baltimore AFRO-American Newspaper)
by Congressman Elijah E. Cummings
Last week, I met with a lovely lady by the name of Mildred Kelly. Ms. Kelly had recently embarked on the path to self-sufficiency by rejoining the workforce after raising six children and battling medical problems that kept her from working.
Ms. Kelly told me that at the age of 65, she found herself in need of a supplemental income. She was barely surviving on government assistance and strongly desired an opportunity to return to the workforce. That’s when Maryland’s Office on Aging recommended Ms. Kelly to Green Thumb, a national non-profit corporation whose goal is to strengthen families and communities by providing older individuals with opportunities to learn, work and serve in their communities.
Through Green Thumb’s Senior Community Service Employment Program, Ms. Kelly received three years of employment training, including computer skills, and was offered a permanent position with Baltimore’s Senior Housing Initiative in November 1997. In honor of her accomplishments, Ms. Kelly has received Green Thumb’s Prime Time Award, which is given to the most outstanding older worker from each state. Ms. Kelly was chosen because of her many contributions to her community.
Green Thumb, which is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, has successfully run its senior program in 11 Maryland counties, including Baltimore City, since 1978. It also has been active in 45 other states, including Puerto Rico, since 1965. Funded primarily by the United States Department of Labor, Green Thumb helps more than 26,000 older Americans each year find gainful employment. In fact, 285 senior citizens of Maryland, including Ms. Kelly, were assisted in finding employment with over 115 municipal and non-profit agencies between July 1996 and June 1997.
During that period, wages paid to these workers totaled $801,060. Of that amount, 27 Green Thumb recipients, averaging $3,807 a year on welfare, were able to decrease their government assistance by 93 percent.
Green Thumb is able to boast such figures because it provides program participants with literacy assessments, job and work readiness skills training, employment development and placement, mentorships, and job retention support.
Green Thumb utilizes innovative, customer-focused solutions to the problems facing our seniors today. The organization applies a "work first" strategy that focuses on an integrated approach tailored to meet the needs of each participant; it builds self-esteem and employability through enhanced education, training, and support services. It also requires active involvement of the business community.
As a result, Green Thumb offers businesses skilled and reliable temporary and part-time employees from its mature workforce and welfare clients through its staffing service called, "Experience Works!."
Green Thumb starts with a comprehensive assessment of each person’s education, skills, interests, and experience, which forms the basis for an employment development plan. A work-based learning initiative is then used to emphasize not only securing employment, but structuring the work experience to develop transferable employability skills.
Finally, Green Thumb’s "Invest for Success" program gives back to those who contribute to the organization’s success. Green Thumb will set aside a minimum of 10 percent of its excess revenue earned from welfare-to-work contracts to share with program participants. This revenue is in the form of shares of stock to be issued to those who successfully complete one year of employment. These shares can help participants continue their education, purchase homes, and otherwise improve their lives.
About 75 percent of Green Thumb participants typically are female, although males are encouraged to seek the organization’s services. Many are veterans and/or disabled with a high a school diploma or equivalent. Most of their clients come to the program while on welfare; however, due to the success of Green Thumb’s program, 98 percent of their welfare clients have been able to remove themselves from social services after being placed in unsubsidized employment.
Recently, Green Thumb launched a partnership with Microsoft to provide unemployed and underemployed individuals with information technology (IT) training in their communities. Green Thumb intends to train welfare clients, older workers, dislocated workers, and others with special needs for high-paying IT careers. To achieve its goal, the organization and Microsoft will build relationships with other members of the business community to provide training and placement opportunities.
Green Thumb has paired with The Gap to place workers in seasonal and permanent retail positions at salaries above minimum wage. In addition, the organization has an alliance with APG, which specializes in administering federal, state, and local tax incentives to private industry. This relationship allows Green Thumb to access job opportunities with Sears, Home Depot, K-Mart, and Wal-Mart. APG fills positions in these companies with Green Thumb clients.
Green Thumb has developed a creative and ingenious way to utilize one of America’s most important resources -- its senior citizens. It has helped more than 500,000 disadvantaged individuals escape poverty and achieve self-sufficiency by providing them with the training and the opportunity to serve their communities. More importantly, it has given wonderful people like Mildred Kelly meaningful opportunities to enrich their lives and contribute to the lives of others.
For more information on how you or someone you know can participate in Green Thumb’s Maryland program, call 410-576-1116.
-The Honorable Elijah E. Cummings represents the 7th Congressional District of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives.