STUTTGART CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WAS FOUNDED IN 1940 AS A PRIVATE, NON-PROFIT CORPORATION WITH THE MISSION OF PUTTING STUTTGART ON THE MAP. IN ITS MORE THAN 70 YEARS AS AN ADVOCATE OF AREA BUSINESS, THE CHAMBER HAS ESTABLISHED STUTTGART AS AN ECONOMIC LEADER IN SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS. YOU COULD SAY THE CHAMBER WORKS ON THOSE ISSUES THAT AFFECT THE "QUALITY OF LIFE" IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH VOLUNTEERS BEING A CRITICAL PIECE IN OUR COMMUNITY. SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS RSVP SPONSOR SERVES STUTTGART, PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS COUNTY, AND JEFFERSON COUNTY IN ALL SERVICE CATEGORIES WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE 671 VOLUNTEERS SERVING IN HEALTHY FUTURES, EDUCATION, DISASTER TRAINING, VETERANS, MILITARY FAMILIES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. SEARSVP UNDERSTANDS THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF LOW-INCOME OLDER ADULTS AND CONTINUES TO IDENTIFY, AND IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS TO MEET THOSE NEEDS WHILE SUCCESSFULLY PLACING VOLUNTEERS INTO ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS THAT IMPACT THE LIVES OF RESIDENTS IN A WAY THAT COMPLIMENTS THE VISION OF SENIOR CORP. THE US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ANNUAL REPORT RELEASED ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2013, RANKED ARKANSAS FIRST IN LOW FOOD SECURITY AND WITH THE FEDERAL NUTRITION PROGRAM NOT REACHING ALL FOOD-INSECURE PEOPLE, THIS SHOWS THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF CHARITABLE HUNGER RELIEF PROGRAMS IN ARKANSAS. AN ESTIMATED 120 RSVP UNDUPLICATED VOLUNTEERS WILL SERVE IN MONROE AND PHILLIPS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST REGION OF ARKANSAS, A RURAL AREA TYPICALLY KNOWN AS THE "ARKANSAS DELTA". THE CNCS FEDERAL INVESTMENT OF $75,000 WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY$23,229 TOTAL BUDGET OF $$93,229. SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS RSVP PROPOSES TO IMPLEMENT AN RSVP PROGRAM IN MONROE AND PHILLIPS COUNTY, IN ARKANSAS BEGINNING JULY 1, 2017. SEARSVP WILL RECRUIT, TRAIN AND PLACE 120 UNDUPLICATED VOLUNTEERS, 55 AND OLDER, BY THE THIRD YEAR OF THE PROGRAM. SEARSVP HAS INTENTIONALLY CHOSEN THESE COUNTIES DUE TO THEIR LOCATION, WITHIN 100 MILES OF THE SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS RSVP DIRECTOR AND PROGRAM MAIN OFFICE AND THEIR EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS ALREADY ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA OF HEALTHY FUTURES AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS. SEARSVP BUILDING ON THEIR EXPERTISE IN ENGAGING OLDER ADULT VOLUNTEERS WHILE BUILDING ON AN EVIDENCE BASED WORK PLAN MODEL THROUGH EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS WITH UNITED WAY OF SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS, AMERICAN RED CROSS, OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, TRI DELTA FOOD MINISTRIES AND THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION WILL ADDRESS THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA OF HEALTHY FUTURES ACTIVITIES. HEALTHY FUTURES WILL BE THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA, PROVIDING SUPPORT SERVICES, AND EDUCATION TO ALLEVIATE LONG-TERM FOOD INSECURITY. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE: FOOD INSECURITY MEASURES, FINANCIAL COUNSELING, MEAL PACKING, DISTRIBUTING FOOD, PROVIDE IN-HOME AND SUPPORT SERVICES TO VETERANS, DISABLED AND THE ELDERLY INCREASING FOOD SECURITY VIA A SURVEY INSTRUMENT. THE MISSION OF SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS RSVP IS TO ENGAGE VOLUNTEERS OVER 55 YEARS OF AGE TO LEND THEIR TIME AND EXPERTISE IN SERVICE NON-PROFITS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE WELL-BEING OF BOTH SELF AND COMMUNITY. WE KNOW NOW MORE THAN EVER, VOLUNTEERS, ESPECIALLY BABY BOOMERS FEEL THEIR TIME IS PRECIOUS BY OFFERING UNIQUE EXPERIENCES WITH ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY TOUCHING LIVES AND LIFTING SPIRITS.