Mondala said the Aging Office has 57 senior citizens under Title V or the Senior Community Employment Support Program.
The Division of Youth Services will hire three of the manamko’ who have completed the training by September. Only one will be employed by the Aging Office.
Mondala said this will be the “first time” in nine years that they will employ a senior citizen who completed the training program.
Of the 57 trainees, 18 will be renewed so they can complete the 27-month training period.
There are nine manamko’ under the program who were funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Mondala said.
She said the program will be extended only once to any senior citizen who meets the requirements.
Each trainee is paid $7.25 per hour.
For this year’s program, the Aging Office was allotted $450,320 in federal grants and $50,000 in local funds.
Many senior citizens want to join the program but Mondala said they have to be strict when accepting participants due to funding constraint.
“We don’t accept retirees. This program is for elderly persons seeking possible job placements in the future,” she said.
