RSVP

RSVP volunteers provide hundreds of community services, ranging from tutoring at-risk youth to planning community gardens to setting up computerized information systems for community health organizations. Through such efforts, RSVP is meeting needs that strained local budgets cannot afford.

The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) helps people age 55 and older find service opportunities in their home communities. RSVP participants serve from a few to over forty hours a week in organizations that range from hospitals and youth recreation centers to local police stations and education facilities. RSVP involves seniors in service that matches their personal interests and makes use of their skills and lifelong experiences.

What is the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)?

How does RSVP operate locally?

Local public and private nonprofit agencies receive grants to sponsor and operate RSVP projects in their community.

What organizations are eligible for RSVP assistance?

A wide range of community organizations may apply to be RSVP volunteer stations. Organizations interested in RSVP assistance should contact their area RSVP project
(Haywood - 828-452-1447) or (Jackson - 828-586-2345).

How does RSVP benefit communities?

Who can participate in RSVP?

RSVP participants must be at least 55 years of age. Interested applicants should call their area RSVP project office. Project directors will meet with applicants to discuss interests and service opportunities.

Retired and Senior Volunteers Provide Services Worth Millions

Participants of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) provide over 80 million hours of service annually to communities across the country. The value of this service is about $1 billion and represents a 29-fold return on the federal dollars invested in RSVP. The federal cost of a RSVP participant is less than 45 cents per hour of service.
Nearly 450,000 RSVP volunteers serve through more than 60,000 public and private nonprofit community organizations.
RSVP's FY 1994 federal budget of $34.4 million was matched with $36.7 million contributed by states and local communities, demonstrating broad support for RSVP across the country. This represents a nonfederal match of 107%, or over $1 for every federal dollar invested.
RSVP members (70% of whom are over age 70) serve through 760 projects sponsored and managed by local nonprofit agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Several of these programs are supported totally by nonfederal funds.
RSVP is sponsored locally by Mountain Projects, Inc. and it is sponsored federally by the National Senior Service Corp.

2251 Old Balsam Road Waynesville NC 28786

Phone:(828)452-1447
Fax/TDD:(828)452-9454

25 Schulman Street Sylva NC 28779

Phone:(828)586-2345
Fax:(828)586-9401

Website design C-4 The WebStore, Inc.

Donate