Throughout its 39 years history, the National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc. (NCBA) has worked to eliminate obstacles to fairness and equal access for one of the most underserved and vulnerable groups in our society – low-income black and minority senior citizens. NCBA’s programs have focused on three of the most critical needs: housing, employment and health promotion/disease prevention.

NCBA administers 2 senior employment programs- Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) funded through the Department of Labor provides training opportunities for low income persons 55 years of age and older to return to the workforce part-time.
The Senior Environmental Employment Program- funded through the Environmental Protection Agency provides full time employment opportunities for persons 55 years of age and older in EPA regional offices and laboratories.

The Health and Wellness Program funded through the U.S. Administration on Aging strives to foster a vigorous, healthy, active lifestyle, enabling African American seniors to enjoy life.

The new millennium presents new challenges to a changing and increasing senior population. The United States continues to become more ethnically diverse. Consequently, the emerging senior population will be one with more education, advantages and a broader cultural history than has been the case historically. Despite much social progress, inequities in employment, access to quality health care, disparities in health status, discrimination in housing and disproportionate poverty still take a toll on African Americans and minorities, especially seniors.

Attaining and maintaining a productive and satisfying quality of life into later years depends on planning and preparation. NCBA continues to address equality and access issues as they relate to housing, employment and health. NCBA’s program planning and development is ever changing to assist African Americans and other minorities to prepare for the challenges of aging as those challenges continue to evolve.