The Sobe/Floribeaches Social Enterprise Project is an unfunded model project that encourages innovation and creativity at senior centers by teaching older, low-income adults to create souvenirs that promote Florida's 164 beautiful beaches. It is our goal to earn enough money to participate in the Govenor's Conference on Tourism this fall and to have Florida's Governor Rick Scott designate our products "the official Florida souvenir" for the year 2014. We feel that this is just the boost we need to jump start our social enterprise project that will ultimately produce “extra” income for low-income older people in each county or city with a beach community. It is our mission, through entrepreneurial training, partnerships and social engagement to help increase the access of low-income older people to business opportunities, healthier lifestyles and brighter outlooks for their futures. In conducting research for this project it was determined that: •Almost 3.5 million people age 65 or above (9 percent) lived below the poverty level in 2010. Another 2.3 million (5.8 percent) were classified as "near-poor" (income between the poverty level and 125 percent of this level). •Higher than average poverty levels are found among minorities age 65-plus. Compared with 6.8 percent of whites 65-plus, 18 percent of African Americans, 18 percent of Hispanics and 14.6 percent of Asians were at or below the poverty level in 2010. •Higher than average poverty rates were also found in 2010 among older people living in principal cities (11.2 percent), rural areas and small towns (10.4 percent), and in the South (10.5 percent). •The poverty rate was higher among older women (10.7 percent) than older men (6.7 percent). •Older persons living alone were much more likely to be poor (16.0 percent) than those living with families (5.3 percent). •Older African American (30.7 percent) and Hispanic (40.8 percent) women who lived alone experienced the highest poverty rates. •The major sources of income as reported by older persons in 2009 were Social Security (reported by 87 percent of older persons), income from assets (reported by 53 percent), private pensions (reported by 28 percent), government employee pensions (reported by 14 percent), and earnings (reported by 26 percent). Of those receiving Social Security in 2009, such receipts constituted 90 percent or more of the income received by 35 percent of beneficiaries. •Unemployment was 6.3 percent for those 55-plus in April 2012 compared with 3.2 percent at the start of the recession. Older workers have longer periods of unemployment than other age groups: in April 2012, the average length of unemployment was 60 weeks. Since the genesis of Florida as a tourism destination, in the early 1950’s, the tourism industry relied heavily on the minority and low-income communities to staff and maintain the high standard of comfort set for Florida's visitors and guests. Those same people who helped establish the high standards of comfort and care at four-star hotels along Florida’s coastlines are now aging and rely mostly on social security benefits as their primary source of income. They benefited little other than tips they received at the time of their employment and received none of the benefits of Florida's burgeoning tourist dollars. Florida in 2011, played host to 87.3 million people and $67.3 billion changed hands in travel spending alone. $4 billion in sales taxes was realized and tourism represent 23% of all sales tax generated. According to Visit Florida, for every $1 invested in tourism advertising $258 is realized in tourism spending and more than $15 in new sales taxes is collected, paid by visitors, not residents. There are big bucks in tourism. It is the goal of SoBe Sand/Floribeaches to replicate this project throughout the state and help Florida's seniors who want to augment their income as easy as a day at the beach! Please encourage our Governor Rick Scott to make the products manufactured by our seniors at SobeSand... the Official Florida Souvenir for the year 2014!