If you’re getting up there in years but aren’t ready to hang up the spikes yet, the team at Cornerstone Alliance has a new arsenal to help you consider options for self-employment and other ways to earn some dough working for yourself. Thanks to an AARP Foundation grant, Cornerstone will be able to conduct Work for Yourself@50+ workshops in the tri-county area of Berrien, Cass & Van Buren Counties to help out.
This national grant initiative is designed to help vulnerable older adults assess opportunities for self-employment, build skills, and connect with resources that will enable them to generate income by working for themselves.
Cornerstone Alliance Small Business Services and the Women’s Business Center at Cornerstone Alliance offers a suite of services focused on the success of entrepreneurs at all levels from getting started to growing an existing small business.
Emily Allen is Senior Vice President of the AARP Foundation Programs. She says, “For many low-income older adults, self-employment and business ownership is an opportunity to change their future.” She adds, “AARP Foundation is proud to work with organizations like Cornerstone Alliance who are committed to helping older adults successfully run their own business. Our Work for Yourself@50+ program is designed to enable older adults to pursue self-employment by connecting them with trustworthy resources in their own communities.”
Stacey Stephens is the Senior Director of Entrepreneurship & Special Projects at Cornerstone Alliance. She says, “Cornerstone Alliance is delighted to be a recipient of the AARP Foundation grant,” adding, “This funding allows us to extend our reach to this demographic in the tri-county area we serve who may want to explore the opportunities of owning their own business.”
Meanwhile, Lynn Kellogg, the CEO of the Region IV Area Agency on Aging says, “It is wonderful to have additional resources to offer the senior workforce additional career options.” She adds, “We look forward to working with Cornerstone Alliance on this initiative.”
Nancy Racine of SCORE notes, “As a resource partner to Cornerstone Alliance supporting entrepreneurship, SCORE of Southwest Michigan works to make sure every person has the support necessary to thrive as a small business owner.” She wants that segment of the population to know, “We are prepared to work with the encore entrepreneurs who are ready to embark on this path.”
Through a nationwide open request for proposals, AARP Foundation, with support from The Hartford, identified and then selected promising organizations in high-need communities to receive grant awards and implement the Work for Yourself@50+ workshop model. The workshops help low-income adults 50 and older understand the pros and cons of self-employment and support them through the early steps that can lead to success.
Diane Cantello is head of Corporate Sustainability for The Hartford. She tells us, “The Hartford is excited to work together with AARP Foundation on the Work for Yourself@50+ program, empowering mature adults to build on their potential and to prevail as independent entrepreneurs.” Cantello adds, “Self-employment creates small businesses that contribute to the stability and vitality of their local communities.”
Working with AARP Foundation, each grantee will put together a plan in its community to:
- Publicize Work for Yourself@50+ resources and workshops to potential entrepreneurs…
- Host and facilitate a 90-minute introductory workshop, designed by AARP Foundation, to walk participants through the Work for Yourself@50+ materials…
- Connect program participants with local, accessible resources to help them take action on their income-generation plans…
In addition to receiving grant funds, grantees will also participate in a community of practice and regular assessment to help build a body of knowledge about effective older-adult services and programs.
Creating and owning a business has long been heralded as a path to financial success and economic mobility; low-income older adults, however, face unique hurdles when re-entering the workforce in a nontraditional capacity. AARP Foundation’s and The Hartford’s investment in these grantees seeks to improve the lives of vulnerable populations by supporting and advancing effective solutions.
To learn more about the Work for Yourself@50+ initiative, you can click the link below or call 1-888-339-5617 to receive a free toolkit and sign up for a local workshop.
