RSVP of Genesee County has reached a milestone -- one-million hours of free community service. Coordinator Dorian Ely made the announcement today.
The program’s volunteers, all aged 55 and older, have given a total of 1,007,797 hours of service. This translates into a contribution valued at $16.6 million according to the volunteer value rates set by the Independent Sector.
“We are fortunate in Genesee County to have so many individuals who want to give back to their community," Ely said. "This number is actually conservative; we know that many of the volunteers give more time than we are able to capture statistically.”
The RSVP volunteer placement program is part of the nation’s Senior Corps. It has been operating in Genesee County since 1985. The program places volunteers with more than 40 agencies countywide, matching their interests and talents with the needs of the organizations. The program currently has 425 active volunteers ranging in age from 55 to 96.
Ely noted that the program has changed through the years, moving from trying to be everything to everyone, to focusing on national social-impact areas such as aging in place, service to veterans, and disaster preparedness.
While there are many ways to serve, volunteers are currently needed to help senior citizens stay in their homes by providing medical transportation, friendly visiting, and delivery of library materials.
Coordination and administration of these programs are made possible by the Rochester Area Community Foundation’s Muriel H. Marshall Fund for the Aging, but they rely on volunteers to be an active part of delivering these services. Additionally, volunteers are being sought to become co-facilitators for Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) workshops.
For information on RSVP of Genesee County, Marshall Fund programs, or CDSMP, contact the Office for the Aging at 343-1611.
