Senior Event

As concern grows over potential cuts to the financial safety net for America’s seniors and disabled, NCLR (National Council of La Raza), AARP and Latinos for a Secure Retirement (LSR), will join the Training Occupational Development Educating Communities Legal Center (TODEC Legal Center) in hosting a community town hall on Social Security and its importance to Latino families and the state of California. 

The forum will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 1, at the TODEC Legal Center, located at 234 South D St. in Perris, Calif.  The event, which is free and open to the public, will feature Mayor Daryl Busch and speakers from NCLR, LSR, AARP, TODEC and others.  A light breakfast will be served.

Social Security is widely recognized as a successful, efficient public program that serves as a powerful safety net for Americans who cannot work because of age or disability.  However, it has come under attack under the guise of deficit reduction, despite the fact that Social Security has not contributed one dime to the federal deficit and will remain financially solvent without any changes until 2036.

Latino seniors are particularly vulnerable to the most recent proposed cuts and changes to Social Security.  Although the program keeps millions of seniors out of poverty, the average yearly Social Security benefit for Hispanic seniors is only $12,213 for men and only $9,536 for women.  These benefits represent at least 90% of the income for more than half of Latino seniors; cuts to the program could be disastrous.

In Riverside County, Social Security contributes $4 billion annually to the local economy by paying benefits to 306,080 county residents, including 205,820 retirees, 38,640 disabled workers, and 23,655 children.  Social Security serves five million residents in California and prevents 1.1 million from living in poverty.  The Perris forum is the fifth in a series being held across the country as part of the Latinos and Social Security ¡Tu Futuro Cuenta! campaign.  In addition to experts on this issue, Latino seniors at the event will be available for interviews.

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT:  Town hall on Social Security and its importance to keeping California’s Latino seniors and disabled workers out of poverty.  This event is free and open to the public.

WHO: Daryl Busch, Mayor of Perris

Luz Maria Ayala, Executive Director, TODEC Legal Center

Leticia Miranda, Associate Director, Economic and Employment Policy Project, NCLR

Robert Prath, Volunteer Manager of State Operations, Member of the California State Executive Council and National

Policy Council, AARP

WHEN: Tuesday, November 1, 2011

11:00 a.m. PST

WHERE: TODEC Legal Center

234 South D Street

Perris, Calif. 92570

(free parking available)

Space is limited.  To RSVP for this event or to get more information, please call Luz Gallegos at (951) 443-8458.

For more information about the TODEC Legal Center, visit www.todec.org.

For more information about AARP, visit www.aarp.org.

For more information about NCLR, visit www.nclr.org or www.nclr.org/socialsecurity.

For more information about LSR, visit www.latinosforasecureretirement.org.