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April 2008

May is Older Americans Month – Help Senior Citizens Enjoy a Safer Retirement

North Carolina AARP Offices Encourage Seniors to Go Direct

Disaster Preparedness and Direct Deposit

In the Media

May is Older Americans Month – Help Senior Citizens Enjoy a Safer Retirement

Many older Americans have concerns about their safety. Some live alone, have limited mobility, or rely on the watchful eye of caring neighbors, close friends or family. For seniors receiving Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, switching from paper checks to direct deposit is an important step they can take toward achieving greater security.

May is Older Americans Month, the perfect time to remind seniors about the dangers of financial crimes and help them safeguard their money with direct deposit. In fiscal year 2007, nearly 60,000 Treasury-issued checks were fraudulently endorsed. Direct deposit eliminates the risk of check fraud and helps protect people from identity theft.

If you are hosting events in honor of Older Americans Month, Go Direct encourages you to include information about the benefits of direct deposit. View the special materials Go Direct has created to help reach seniors and others who receive federal benefit checks learn about the important safety aspects of direct deposit.

To learn more about opportunities to support the campaign during Older Americans Month and beyond, visit www.GoDirect.org, contact your local campaign representative or call (952) 346-6055.

North Carolina AARP Offices Encourage Seniors to Go Direct

In North Carolina, AARP staff and volunteers have been spreading the word about the ease and safety of direct deposit to the state's senior citizens. From encouraging seniors to sign up for direct deposit at “Scam Jams,” to highlighting the advantages of direct deposit in their newsletter and ID theft presentations, AARP has found Go Direct beneficial to both members and seniors alike.

Charlotte, N.C., AARP Associate State Director of Community Outreach Ronda Deitch says paper checks can leave seniors open to mail theft and fraud. “Direct deposit is an easy way for seniors to protect their finances,” said Deitch. “We're excited to be working with Go Direct to educate our local seniors about direct deposit. It is truly a safer, easier option for Social Security. AARP is a strong advocate for the financial security of seniors.”

AARP offices in Charlotte and Raleigh have worked in partnership with the Go Direct campaign on a number of innovative programs:

In Charlotte, AARP, the Better Business Bureau Foundation and the local police department participated in a media event to raise the profile of Go Direct. They joined the mobile Go Direct Squad, which visited area senior centers during February Go Direct Month to share information with seniors about direct deposit, and encourage them to sign up for it.
In Raleigh, AARP has distributed Go Direct materials at senior “Scam Jams” for more than two years, reaching retirees throughout the state. And Associate State Director Greg Tanner played a leadership role at the Go Direct Senior Financial Literacy Summit during Go Direct Month in February.

To find out how your non-profit organization can get more involved in Go Direct, or to order free campaign materials, visit www.GoDirect.org, contact your local campaign representative or call (952) 346-6055.

Disaster Preparedness and Direct Deposit

When disaster strikes, senior citizens and people with disabilities can be especially vulnerable. Switching to direct deposit can provide peace of mind by ensuring seamless delivery of federal benefit payments in the days following a hurricane or severe weather event. With direct deposit, the money goes straight into a person's account on payment day and is accessible from virtually anywhere.

For those who depend on the mail for their Social Security benefits, a difficult situation can become worse if they are evacuated or lose their mail service – as 85,000 check recipients learned after Hurricane Katrina. Switching to direct deposit is one simple, significant way people can protect themselves before disaster strikes.

Go Direct offers tools to promote direct deposit as part of disaster preparedness, including talking points – useful for presentations and training meetings – newsletter copy and informative take-home items. To learn more about the Go Direct disaster preparedness program, check out the campaign Web site, contact your Go Direct representative or call (952) 346-6055.

In the Media

Alvina McHale, director of legislative and public affairs for the Treasury's Financial Management Service, was interviewed Feb. 14 on Social Security Hotline 21, the Chicago Social Security Administration's live call-in television show. McHale was also featured on the Feb. 23 edition of Money Matters, a financial radio talk show in North Carolina.
The Miami Herald included a brief article on Go Direct in its print and online editions. The article stressed the safety benefits of direct deposit for people who get government checks and included the Go Direct Web site and toll-free number for readers to sign up.