NCLR LAUNCHES EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE LATINO PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL SECURITY

As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of Social Security, NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, launched a national effort to raise awareness among Hispanics about the promise and security that the Social Security program offers all American workers.

Seguro Social: Es Tu Dinero, Es Tu Futuro (Social Security: It’s Your Money, It’s Your Future) emphasizes the importance of this program to Latino workers and retirees. The effort responds to a need in the Latino community for credible information about Social Security, especially in Spanish. It will include public service announcements, brochures, and online information in English and Spanish. These resources provide clear and accurate information about workers’ right to Social Security benefits.

“The Social Security program provides vital social insurance for all American workers and families. It is especially important for low-income workers, which is why it has been remarkably effective at insuring Hispanic seniors against poverty,” said Eric Rodriguez, NCLR Vice President, Office of Research, Advocacy, and Legislation.

NCLR aims to reach the millions of Latino workers who pay into the Social Security system but may be unsure about what the program does or the benefits they are earning. Many workers do not know that Social Security provides financial support to retirees, survivors of deceased workers, and workers who become disabled, as well as members of their families. Awareness is especially low among the millions of U.S. citizen and lawfully residing Latino immigrant workers who pay into the system over many years to earn benefits when they are no longer able to work. In 2009, over 52 million Americans, including more than two million Hispanic seniors, received Social Security benefits. Latino Social Security retirees are growing at a rapid pace: In 2006, 6% of all Social Security beneficiaries age 62 or older were Hispanic, a figure that is expected to more than double to 15% by 2050.

NCLR’s public information activities related to Social Security will span over six weeks, and materials will be available at www.nclr.org/socialsecurity and www.nclr.org/segurosocial.

From: www.nclr.org

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