RSVP MATCHES OLDER ADULTS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS By Dawn Burleigh Courtesy photos
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Millions of people across the globe volunteer every day. Without the selfless efforts of volunteers, many charities would be forced to cease operations. In fact, a 2017 study from the charitable community membership organization Independent Sector estimated that the labor provided by volunteers is worth roughly $193 billion per year in the United States alone. But volunteering can be as beneficial for volunteers as it can for the organizations they help. Volunteering in the community is not just for the younger generation. Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) links the skills of volunteers with the identified needs of the community. Since 1971, RSVP, one of the largest volunteer efforts in the nation for people 55 and over, has matched older adults who are willing to help with local organizations on the front lines of meeting community needs. RSVP projects link
the skills of the volunteers with the identified needs of the community. RSVP volunteers do not receive any monetary incentive or stipend, but the RSVP project may reimburse volunteers for certain out-of-pocket costs associated with their service activities. In addition, RSVP volunteers receive accident, personal liability, and excess automobile liability insurance as well as community recognition, according to it’s official website.
Golden Triangle RSVP is a volunteer match maker service that matches people 55 and older with diverse non-profit agencies in the Hardin, Jefferson, and Orange County region. Approximately 500 volunteers participate annually and their 80,000 hours a year equates to over $1.5 million in services rendered.
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