Volunteer Center of the Redwoods/RSVP Programs of the Area 1 Agency on Aging
RSVP- Retired Senior Volunteer Program Funded by the Corporation for National Community Service,
a federal government agency engaging Americans in service.
• AmeriCorps • Learn and Serve America • Senior Corps • Other national service initiatives
Senior Corps • Foster Grandparent Program Managed by North Coast Opportunities in Ukiah for Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Del Norte and Sonoma Counties
• Senior Companions Help for homebound seniors by Senior Volunteers (program not available in this region)
• RSVP Recruiting Volunteers 55 and up for valuable community service
National Service History • 1961- Peace Corps was established as a National Service program enabling volunteers to live and work in the developing world • 1964- VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) began as part of the war on poverty enabling volunteers to help those in need in the United States
1965- Older Americans Act (OAA) passed in response to a lack of community social services for older persons 1969- OAA was amended to add RSVP under the Administration on Aging 1971- RSVP moved to ACTION, a federal agency that included the Peace Corps and VISTA
1993- National and Community Service Trust Act initiated AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National Community Service 1994- CNCS officially begins operation as a federal agency to include Senior Corps, AmeriCorps/VISTA and Learn and Serve America. 2009- Kennedy Serve America Act expanding national service programs
Humboldt RSVP/VCOR 1973- RSVP started at HSU at Center for Community Development 1973- Area 1 Agency on Aging began 1980- RSVP joined A1AA 1991- RSVP expanded to Del Norte County
1994- Volunteer Center of the Redwoods established to expand volunteerism and encourage all age participation
In RSVP, we recruit and refer, support and insure volunteers • Community members 55+ are eligible to become members • Supplementary liability insurance • Modest mileage reimbursement for low income participants • Quarterly Volunteer Recognition acknowledgements
• All volunteers counted as National Service Volunteers
Primary Focus Areas • • • • • •
Disaster Preparation Economic Opportunity Education Environmental Stewardship Healthy Futures Veterans & Military Families
Other allowable Volunteer stations • Capacity Building (10%) • Other Community Needs (30%)
Healthy Futures Volunteer Driver Program- 37 volunteers Breast and GYN Health Project- 3 volunteers Bridgeville SAIL Program- 1 volunteer Food for People- 5 volunteers HICAP- 9 volunteers Hospice- 9 volunteers Potawot Community Garden- 5 volunteers Rural Human Services- 1 volunteer St. Joseph’s Food Pantry- 8 volunteers St. Vincent de Paul Dining Center- 5 volunteers
Education Humboldt Early Literacy Tutors- 14 volunteers Bar-O Boys Ranch Del Norte- 1 volunteer
Disaster Preparedness American Red Cross- 2 volunteers
Veterans and Military Families Del Norte Veterans Services- 2 volunteers
Economic Opportunity Del Norte Reads- 1 volunteer
Environmental Stewardship Humboldt Trail Stewards- 28 volunteers Humboldt Baykeeper- 8 volunteers Tolowa Dunes Stewards- 9 volunteers Northcoast Regional Land Trust- 6 volunteers SCRAP Humboldt- 5 volunteers
Capacity-Building Walk to End Alzheimer’s- 6 volunteers Redwood Coast Village Steering Committee- 6 volunteers
Other Community Needs A1AA Board of Directors- 9 volunteers A1AA Office Assistant- 2 volunteers A1AA RSVP Advisors- 6 volunteers Del Norte Senior Center- 21 volunteers St. Vincent de Paul Del Norte Thrift Store- 8 volunteers Arcata Marsh- 1 volunteer Friends of the Dunes- 1 volunteer Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge- 4 volunteers Humboldt Redwoods Interpretive Association- 1 volunteer Redwood National Park- 2 volunteers Northcoast Marine Mammal Center- 1 volunteer
Humboldt/Del Norte RSVP/VCOR 2016-17 Goals Required # of volunteers- 323 1.
Current # of volunteers- 215
Increase outreach efforts through expanded use of local media • Continue articles Times Standard Boomers & Beyond section every other week. • Be a sponsor for KHSU with for 5 announcements per week (Began July 1st) • Produce 30 second PSA’s for KIEM for 35 spots a month (Will begin Aug 1st)
2.
Hire a Volunteer Specialist for 5 hours week for Del Norte County
3.
Raise funds for Volunteer Center of the Redwoods to help pay for video editing computer and 2% of RSVP Director’s salary