A monthslong UFT initiative to reach out to retired paraprofessionals, connect them with union services and support, and encourage them to get involved in the Retired Teachers Chapter culminated with a meet and greet at UFT headquarters on Sept. 19.

About 110 retirees and their spouses attended the event, which included presentations about social services, health care, legal services, the pension plan, Si Beagle classes and other benefits and programs, plus opportunities to speak one-on-one with union representatives and get individual questions answered.

“I think it’s great,” said retired paraprofessional Nancy Schwartz, who worked at PS 100 in Brooklyn for 24 years. “Any information that we can get is always helpful.”

The union’s outreach to retired paraprofessionals began with focus groups in March and April and continued with a survey over the summer and a virtual town hall in September. Through the conversations and responses from the survey, the UFT learned how the union can better support retired paras.

“Over and over, we heard that retired paraprofessionals want to remain connected to their schools and their communities, they need help accessing services and support, and they want opportunities to connect with other retired paras,” said Paraprofessionals Chapter Leader Emerita Shelvy Young-Abrams, who spearheaded the initiative with Retired Teachers Chapter Chair Tom Murphy and Paraprofessionals Chapter First Vice Chair Emeritus Reginald Colvin.

The UFT responded by creating a retired para support line, which is open Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Retired paraprofessionals can also leave a message, and a union rep will call back on the next business day.) Retired paras can also communicate and request support via email at retiredparasupport [at] uft [dot] org (retiredparasupport[at]uft[dot]org).

Since June, the UFT has fielded hundreds of calls from retired paras. Many paras, some of whom haven’t been in touch with the union in years, needed assistance retrieving their UFT member ID number — which is critical for accessing union benefits and support. In October, the union mailed a special card, which contains important UFT phone numbers and a space to record their member ID number, to every retired paraprofessional.

“Our primary goal is to listen to your concerns and provide you with the support you need,” Murphy said. “Whether you have questions, require assistance with paperwork or want guidance on any UFT-related matters, we are here to help.”

Young-Abrams said paras deserve to be fully included in the Retired Teachers Chapter and the union as a whole. “We want you to take advantage of everything that we offer,” she told the paras at the meet and greet. “You sowed the seeds, and now you are going to enjoy the rest of your life with dignity.”