CSC's RSVP program is celebrating its founding 40 years ago, and will honor its volunteers during Senior Corps Week. These honorees were recognized in the past for their community service.National Senior Corps Week is September 19-23. For the past four decades, the three Senior Corps programs - Foster Grandparents, RSVP and Senior Companions - have engaged age 55-plus volunteers in service to meet critical community needs. Last year in America, nearly 500,000 Senior Corps volunteers provided 98 million hours of service estimated to be worth more than $2 billion.
The Foster Grandparent Program connects volunteers age 55 and over with children and young people with exceptional needs. Working with schools, libraries, Head Start, and Boys and Girls Clubs, volunteers help children reach life-changing goals.
RSVP offers "one stop shopping" for all volunteers 55 and over who want to find challenging, rewarding, and significant service opportunities in their local communities.
The Senior Companion Program brings together volunteers age 55 and over with adults in their community who have difficulty with the simple tasks of day-to-day living. They serve frail older adults, adults with disabilities, and offer respite for caregivers.
In 2010, 8,982 Oregon Senior Corps volunteers in 29 projects across the state contributed 1.7 million hours of service at an estimated value of over $61 million.
Locally, Community Services Consortium sponsors Linn-Benton RSVP. Signature programs include Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance, Senior Peer Counseling, AARP Tax-Aide and HandsOn Linn-Benton.
RSVP is celebrating its founding 40 years ago, and honoring its volunteers during Senior Corps Week with two separate Recognition Awards Luncheons in Lebanon on September 21, and Corvallis on September 22.
