Former Congressman Helps Expand

AARP Money Management Program

HARTFORD — The AARP Foundation has hired a nonprofit agency led by Jim Maloney, former 5th District congressman, to expand an AARP volunteer program that helps low-income seniors and people with disabilities to budget and pay their bills.

The AARP Money Management Program, a national AARP initiative, uses trained volunteers to help clients organize and keep track of financial papers, establish budgets, write checks, and balance their checkbook. These services help clients remain independent while preventing financial mishaps that could result in eviction or not having enough money to buy groceries. The AARP Money Management Program is offered at 125 sites in 21 states.

The AARP Foundation, the charitable arm of AARP, has hired Connecticut Resource Development Corporation, of which Mr Maloney is president and general counsel, to serve as the statewide coordinating agency for the AARP Money Management Program in Connecticut. Connecticut Resources is charged with expanding the program statewide over the next 18 months.

AARP determined the need to offer the program statewide in Connecticut after conducting an in-depth survey that found that as many as 32,850 Connecticut residents age 65 and older have difficulty keeping track of their money or bills because they suffer from a physical or mental health condition. The survey was conducted in 2003 by AARP and FGI, Inc.

Currently there are two AARP Money Management Programs in Connecticut, one serving the 41 cities and towns in the western part of the state, including Waterbury and Danbury, run by Connecticut Community Care Inc (CCCI), and the other serving the 14 towns in the southwestern area, including Bridgeport, Norwalk, and other southern Fairfield County communities, run by the Southwestern Connecticut Agency on Aging.

“Our job is to make sure over the next year and a half that the AARP Money Management program is expanded statewide, so that every eligible senior in Connecticut will have this service available to them in their local area,” Mr Maloney said.

“We will also monitor and provide training and technical assistance to the existing local programs, and help them, and the new local programs to be organized in the Hartford, New Haven, and eastern Connecticut areas, with organizational, funding, and program development support,” he continued.

Mr Maloney’s agency also will work with AARP Connecticut office to organize a 15-member statewide advisory committee to help guide the program, and will also work to assure that local advisory committees are formed and functioning for each of the local programs.

“Many of our Money Management clients live primarily on Social Security or an SSI benefit. They are frequently isolated, and have difficulty budgeting and paying routine bills,” said Brenda Kelley, state director of AARP Connecticut. “They are in control of their money, but need help keeping their finances in order. They typically have no one else to provide that kind of assistance, or were previously exploited by a family member or acquaintance.

“Given the continued aging of the population, we will be seeing an even greater demand for Money Management services in the years ahead,” said Ms Kelley. “I am delighted that the project is in such capable hands with Mr Maloney’s organization.”

Mr Maloney, an attorney, also has extensive background in human service work, including service as the executive director of a large social service agency in Danbury, his hometown. To help with the Money Management Program expansion, Connecticut Resources has hired Lori P. Fernand from Simsbury, who has a diverse background in social service work, public policy, and fundraising. Her most recent work was as development director for the California Clean Money Campaign.

“We very much look forward to bringing this service to the folks in need of it, and the project is a great fit with our agency’s overall mission of growing stronger communities through the development of human service, financial and technological resources,” said Mr Maloney.

Connecticut Resource Development Corporation, organized in 2003, is an IRS recognized 501(c)(3) Connecticut nonstock, nonprofit corporation. It currently sponsors the Head Start program in northern Fairfield County, manages nonprofit housing in western Connecticut, and is developing several other human service and community development projects in Connecticut.