The 2007 BreakThrough Award Recipients

  • Allied Coordinated Transportation Services, Inc
    (Lawrence County, PA)
    This innovative program uses drivers over age 50 for door-to-door transportation services for older adults, the sick and disabled, and children whose mothers are in welfare-to-work programs. The drivers bring more experience behind the wheel and consistent support and empathy to clients. In 2006, when ACTS provided 92,000 trips for 1,158 riders, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging named them the “Small Employer Champion of Older Workers.”
  • Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Regional Hospital
    (Leesburg, FL)
    The central Florida medical center is a rare example in the health care field, which is suffering dramatic labor shortages. After five years of a recruitment and retention program aimed at those over 50, the center has created a more stable workforce, while cutting costs and medical errors. Nearly half of their employees are over 50 — a good match for their predominantly older patients.

  • Mature Worker Connection
    (Pima County, AZ)
    Launched in 2006, MWC offers free job placement services for people over 50. Of their first 201 placements, one-third were in the nonprofit or public sectors. Employers say they appreciate older workers’ experience, reliability and commitment.
  • Nursing Home Ombudsman Agency of the Bluegrass, Inc.
    (Lexington, KY)
    To provide advocacy and support for those in nursing homes, NHOA has 33 paid ombudsmen — ages 50 to 80-something — to help with just about everything (dealing with family members and lawyers, advocating for better care, running personal errands and spending time with residents). “Ombuddies” work 8 to 35 hours per week and bring common sense, problem-solving skills and the ability to relate to nursing home clients. In 2006, NHOA ombudsmen helped more than 2,000 residents of the region’s 60 nursing homes.

  • Older Workers Leading Older Workers Leading Success, a program of Cleveland Metroparks (Cleveland, OH)
    With one of the highest median ages in the country, Cuyahoga County needed employment opportunities for people over 50. So, with support from the Cleveland Foundation, Cleveland Metroparks, the government agency that operates city parks and recreational facilities, created OWLS to recruit older workers for part-time and seasonal positions inside the agency’s offices and outside at hiking trails, the zoo, golf courses and for winter sports. In the past two years, OWLS has added more than 150 employees over 50 to the park’s payroll. Success

  • Rainbow Intergenerational Child Care Program
    (Miami, FL)
    This childcare center operates out of a senior center in Little Havana, a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood. The program’s success comes from its intergenerational nature and ability to meet three population’s needs: children who need quality daycare, working parents, and older adults who need income and meaningful work. The 30 employees are all over 50, state-certified, and, as Cuban refugees, can share traditions from their native land with the preschoolers from that same background. The centers serve 109 children (ages two to five); 200 preschoolers are on the waiting list.

  • ReServe Elder Service, Inc.
    (New York, NY)
    In less than two years, ReServe has become a recognized source of skilled employees over 50 for dozens of New York City nonprofits and city agencies. Nearly 200 have been placed in about 60 organizations. Positions range from senior management to engineers to writers and receptionists. ReServists receive a stipend and work an average of 15 hours per week, approximately 46 weeks of the year.

  • Retiree Work Opportunities Program
    (Berkeley, CA)
    To tap into the incredible brain power of retired staff, UC Berkeley created a website in 2002 to connect former staff to current short-term or part-time openings. Retired staff post online profiles that list their skills, work history and preferences, then hiring managers contact retirees — or vice versa — about open jobs. Over 330 retirees and 240 hiring managers are using the Retiree Work Opportunities site, and 80 percent of jobs listed are filled by former UC Berkeley employees.
  • Troops to Teachers
    (Washington, D.C.)
    The nation’s need for teachers is now estimated at 200,000 each year. Troops to Teachers, a small federal program, has helped 10,000 eligible military veterans become public school teachers in high-needs schools. Principals give them high ratings, saying they are effective instructors and classroom managers, they boost student achievement, and they are more likely to stay longer than other new teachers. In addition to the training and support former military personnel receive, the program now allows veterans to line up jobs two to three years before leaving the service.
  • The YMCA of Greater Rochester
    (Rochester, NY)
    As the average age of its members increased, the YMCA looked to recruit employees to match their changing demographic. They offered alternative work arrangements, including job sharing, part-time positions and flexible schedules. They stepped up recruitment efforts for people over 55 and then provided free training and memberships for all its employees. The Y also added a program to foster inclusiveness and teambuilding between younger and older employees. The older employees have proven to be more reliable and more likely to complete assignments, and the turnover rate for those 50 and older is just 2 percent, compared to 20 percent overall.