Monticello, NY – “There’s no better time than NOW to make a difference in your community by volunteering your time,” encourages Martha Tully, Sullivan County’s RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) Coordinator. “With RSVP you can use and share your skills, talents and life experiences or develop new ones while serving in a variety of volunteer activities in your community!”
The RSVP of Sullivan County Americorps Seniors program is entering its 49th year of helping local communities, and it’s constantly looking for adults aged 55 and over to volunteer a few hours each week to help neighbors throughout Sullivan County.
“Volunteers choose how, where, and when they want to serve, with commitments ranging from a few hours to 40 hours per week,” Tully explains. “We can definitely find an opportunity that fits you with one of our 60 participating not-for-profit partners.”
RSVP volunteers enjoy many benefits, including:
- Opportunities to meet new people in the community while making a significant difference in the lives of others
- Sharing talents and experiences with one or more of the participating non-profit partners
- Special recognition events
- Flexible placements with regard to time commitments
- The satisfaction of making a difference in the community
- Help to transition into retirement
- Partial mileage reimbursement (full mileage reimbursement for medical transportation and home delivered meals)
- Supplemental excess accident medical coverage for medical treatment and hospitalization, excess volunteer liability insurance and excess automobile liability insurance.
Current RSVP opportunities include distributing home-delivered meals to homebound seniors in the community; preparing taxes for senior citizens and low-income families; providing telephone reassurance to isolated seniors to ensure their wellbeing; providing medical transportation to important doctor’s appointments and specialty services throughout Sullivan and Orange Counties; hospice care; helping out at local museums and historical societies; and much more.
“Our volunteers themselves report better health and longevity having served in their community,” Tully notes with a smile. “There is research that demonstrates the mental and physical health benefits associated with volunteering, including lower mortality rates, increased strength and energy, decreased rates of depression and fewer physical limitations. We even have two 100-year-young active volunteers!”
If you are interested in joining RSVP of Sullivan County Americorps, please contact RSVP Coordinator Martha Tully at (845) 807-0255 or Martha.Tully@sullivanny.us.