As you may know, our federally financed Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) is no longer operating b
ut we certainly hope to continue to engage Fairfield volunteers of all ages, especially those age 55+. One of the main components of RSVP was the Friendly Visiting program where local seniors received a weekly visit from a caring volunteer, helping to curb loneliness and keep that senior connected to the community. Many individuals formed deep friendships that have continued but we are working hard to incorporate a visiting program of some sort into the programming at the FVC. We will be launching a fundraising effort to that end. If you have any ideas to share, would like to serve in an advisory role or to contribute monetarily we would love to hear from you today. We will continue to keep you updated on our progress.
Posts Tagged ‘seniors’
Senior Corps Week; Celebrating the Contributions of Volunteers 55+
RSVP Volunteers Recognized at the Senior Citizens Center
With nearly one in every five Americans projected to be age 60 or older by 2030, a great opportunity exists to engage
Friendly Visitors attend appreciation party
older Americans in service to meet critical community needs while contributing to longer, healthier lives.
In honor of Senior Corp Week, several local RSVP volunteers were recognized for their community service this past year. The Senior Citizen Center and the RSVP partnered Wednesday evening May 16, to celebrate the deep friendships, connections, and accomplishments of these local RSVP volunteers.
What better way to be inspired to volunteer, then to be in a room full of volunteers and their senior friends. The evening was alive with live music provided by the David Leffler Trio, spaghetti dinner was prepared by youth volunteers Josh Dalbey and James Frances along with great company and stories shared of selfless service.
Guest speaker Mayor Ed Malloy presented the volunteers with their certificates of appreciation. Mayor Malloy also shared how he became inspired to support this program in Fairfield. As a young college graduate, he was a community organizer in the Northeast and was first introduced to the RSVP program and it’s services.
Youth Volunteers Cook for Party Goers
The Mayor said this program has left “a lasting impression” on him forty years later. “It’s one thing to have a vision, it’s another thing to have it come to fruition as I look to all of you here in this filled room tonight.”
RSVP is a national federal program designed to engage volunteers age 55 and over in a way that makes a lasting difference in their communities. In addition to helping others, older volunteers are also helping themselves by living active, healthy lives through volunteering.
A growing body of research points to mental and physical health benefits associated with volunteering, including lower mortality rates, increased strength and energy, decreased rates of depression, and fewer physical limitations.
Jasmine Bartolovic said, “I am so deeply grateful for my RSVP Friendly Visiting volunteer, Mary Meyer. Without her I would never have been able to get to my medical appointments and the things that I needed during my recovery.”
Event organizer RSVP Director JoBeth Lewer said, “it was deeply gratifying to have the opportunity to thank all the loving volunteers who make this program a lasting success.”
Senior Corp Week is an annual celebration of RSVP volunteer accomplishments. To become a RSVP volunteer, call JoBeth Lewer at 641-919-4752
The Health Benefits of Volunteering for Older Americans
According to data from the Corporation for National and Community Service, 18.7 million older adults – more than a quarter of those 55 and older – contributed on average more than three billion hours of service in their communities
Volunteers Planting Community Orchard on Earth Day
per year between 2008 and 2010. Older volunteers meet a wide range of community needs – helping seniors live independently in their homes, tutoring and mentoring at-risk youth, providing financial education and job training to veterans and their families, and helping communities recover from disasters. In fact, older adults who volunteer typically volunteer more hours in a year than other age groups.
In addition to providing valuable services to individuals and communities, older volunteers are also living active lives through volunteering. A growing body of research shows an association between volunteering and mental and physical health benefits. In particular, older volunteers report lower mortality rates, lower rates of depression, fewer physical limitations, and higher levels of well-being. This issue brief summarizes recent research and suggest implications of the findings.
RSVP Energy Savings Program
RSVP now offers free home energy savings consultations. Become a trained volunteer consultant who will visit with 
Fairfield homeowners to educate and/or assist them with a range of basic energy savings measures and install one furnace filter and leaving 5 extras for monthly installations. Little steps like this really add up to make a big difference in the amount of energy a home requires each month.
RSVP trained volunteers will inform the resident about measures they can begin taking immediately to reduce their residential energy usage, which is great for both the environment and the pocketbook!
RSVP volunteer must be age 55+ and must attend a training session prior to performing residential consultations.
So far, 19 RSVP volunteers have been trained to be as consultants. To date, they have completed 15 home energy consultations.
Contact RSVP Director, JoBeth Lewer at 641.919.4752 for more information and to sign up today!
Shoveling Snow this Winter
The Fairfield Volunteer Center helps seniors and those unable to shovel their own walks by maintaining a list of volunteers willing to shovel for others. 
If you are looking for a way to reach out to others, please let us know and we will get in touch with you after a significant snow event. Some individuals seeking assistance have their own shovels so all you have to do is show up…others do not so you would need to bring your own along…please let us know if you have your own when responding so we can better serve those needing help.
Please share this with friends you think might be willing to help out and together, we can make things a bit easier for our fellow residents.
Older Americans Making a Difference
One in Four Older Americans Makes a Positive Impact in Local Communities Through Volunteering, Providing More Than $64 Billion in Annual Economic Benefit to the U.S. 
Washington, D.C. – New data released by the Corporation for National and Community Service indicates that 18.7 million older adults – more than a quarter of those 55 and older – contributed on average more than 3 billion hours of service in their communities per year between 2008 and 2010.
“As the 78 million–strong Baby Boomer generation looks for ways to give back to their communities, Senior Corps offers a powerful way to link them to meaningful opportunities to make a difference,” said Dr. Erwin Tan, director of Senior Corps at the Corporation for National and Community Service. “Older Americans bring a lifetime of skills and experience that can be tapped to meet community challenges. Our Senior Corps programs engage older Americans in solving problems and serving those most in need, making senior service a vital investment for our nation now and into the future.”
“Along with delivering enormous social and economic benefit to communities nationwide, volunteer service also allows older Americans to remain active and healthy, an outcome that is critical as our nation strives to lower health care costs in times of budget constraints,” said Dr. Tan. “More than two decades of research establishes a strong relationship between volunteering and health, and we are seeing that those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression and disease later in life than those who do not volunteer.”
###
Senior Corps is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages more than 5 million Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service each year through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs, and leads President Obama’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve.
An Update from RSVP on the Senior Friendly Visiting Program
An Update from the RSVP Director: This month I would like to share with you that RSVP now has 10 senior “Friendly Visitors” serving in Fairfield. Our mission is to engage a total of 45 new RSVP volunteers who would be serving 60 senior citizens in our community. We are well on our way and off to a great start! Thanks to each new RSVP Friendly Visitor who has given of their time and has provided companionship to seniors who greatly appreciate reliable assistance and genuine caring.
So RSVP can continue to grow this wonderful program please consider becoming a RSVP Friendly Visitor volunteer today.
To learn more about the Friendly Visiting Program, please see last month’s post.
RSVP…Making a Difference in Iowa One Hour at a Time!
See How our Retired Senior Volunteer Program is Changing Lives…Changing Iowa
Service through RSVP benefits everyone - it helps volunteers stay active, healthy, and engaged while connecting those in need in our communities with thousands of skilled volunteers. RSVP helps Iowa save taxpayer dollars by reducing healthcare costs while strengthening civic participation. RSVP volunteers do not receive a stipend for the services they provide.
Return on Investment for the State of Iowa
In 2010, 21 RSVP Programs mobilized RSVP volunteers to serve 614,920 hours (49, 570 more hours than in 2009) through 1,300 Iowa non-profits leveraging $10,263,014.00 worth of service to the State of Iowa!
September 2011 RSVP Weatherization Project
June RSVP Weatherization Project
The Fairfield Volunteer Center and RSVP are conducting round two of our Energy Savings and Home Weatherization Project for eligible community residents.
We are looking to recruit 75 volunteers ages 16 and up to perform basic weatherization tasks such as installing weather stripping, caulking, and applying plastic film to windows in 12 area homes.
On September 17th Fairfield Sustainability Coordinator Scott Timm will facilitate a quick hands-on training for all volunteers lasting 1-1.5 hours, thereby ensuring everyone a basic understanding of project tasks.
The main event will be Saturday, September 24 from 9:00am and lasting until the weatherization tasks are completed, generally around 2:00pm. A pizza lunch will be served at noon at the First Christian Church for participants to refuel and enjoy one anothers company. If you are interested in joining a team and getting involved, call 641-209-9045 and speak with Molly or 641-919-4752 to talk with JoBeth.
Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Launches 1st Weatherization Project
On Saturday June 11, 2011, 70 volunteers came together at the First Christian Church to serve our community’s senior citizens by weatherizing their homes: installing weather-strip kits on doors, caulking exterior windows, spraying expandable foam filling basement cracks and leaks, and washing all exterior windows. This helps the homeowners save on heating and cooling costs, and feel more comfortable living in their homes.
The first phase of the project was locating 12 eligible homes where seniors (age 60+) that were living in homes they owned.
Months prior to the project, RSVP Director JoBeth Lewer began recruiting 10 senior volunteers (over 55) to each lead their own team consisting of 4-6 community volunteers. The team members will include local volunteers, MUM students from around the world, and Elders and Hermana’s from the Church of the Latter Day Saints participating from as far away as Alaska, currently serving in Iowa City and other neighboring cities.
Our RSVP Team Captains.
RSVP partnered with Scott Timm, Fairfield’s Sustainability Coordinator for the city’s Go Green Commission and ISU Extension Office, and Troy VanBeek of Ideal Energy.
Scott and Troy assisted the project offering their expertise (more…)
RSS