 |
|
|
|
|
|
Alcoa Foundation Grant Helps ‘Older & Wiser’ Pilot Program Take Off in Western Pennsylvania
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 26, 2004 - Alcoa Foundation today announced that it has awarded a $3,000 grant to Neighborhood Legal Services Association, Inc. in Pittsburgh to support Older & Wiser®, a public service partnership that sponsors free legal information seminars in Western Pennsylvania on matters of special importance to senior citizens, their families and caregivers.
After successfully being piloted last year in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties, Older & Wiser® is expanding this year to include counties serviced by Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services, Laurel Legal Services and Northwestern Legal Services. The new counties in the program include: Armstrong, Cambria, Cameron, Clarion, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Greene, Jefferson, Indiana, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Somerset, Venango, Washington, Warren and Westmoreland counties.
“This program has the potential to be offered state-wide through legal services associations across Pennsylvania,” said Robert V. Racunas, executive director of Neighborhood Legal Services Association. “Those who have attended the seminars have indicated that they were informative and offered valuable information for older adults. A number of seminars have already been scheduled for October, November and December.”
Older & Wiser® seminars are two-hour legal information sessions designed to educate senior citizens, their families and caregivers on issues such as living wills, powers of attorney, last wills, living trusts, healthcare facilities and retirement benefits. Recently, a seminar has been added on senior fraud in conjunction with the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General. Seminars are arranged locally by legislators and include a presentation by a volunteer attorney knowledgeable about the subject matter, a question and answer session, referral information for direct legal services and take-home materials for attendees.
|
|
|
|
|
|
