Project Grant 17SRWLA001

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THE MISSION OF ST. CHARLES PARISH IS TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY, EFFICIENT SERVICES TO SUSTAIN AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF ST. CHARLES PARISH. IN KEEPING WITH THIS MISSION, THE PURPOSE OF THE RETIRED AND SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM (RSVP) IS TO ENABLE OLDER AMERICANS, AGE 55 AND OVER, TO STRENGTHEN THEIR COMMUNITIES THROUGH VOLUNTEER SERVICE, ENHANCE THE LIVES OF THE VOLUNTEERS AND THOSE WHOM THEY SERVE, AND PROVIDE COMMUNITIES VALUABLE SERVICES. THIS YEAR AN ESTIMATED 340 RSVP VOLUNTEERS AT 40 STATIONS WILL PROVIDE A VARIETY OF INVALUABLE SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE RIVER PARISHES (ST. CHARLES, ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, AND ST. JAMES PARISHES). THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA OF THE RIVER PARISHES RSVP PROGRAM IS HEALTHY FUTURES. SOME OF THE VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES IN THIS AREA INCLUDE FOOD BANK AND FOOD DELIVERY SERVICES FOR SENIORS. OTHER FOCUS AREAS THE RSVP CONTRIBUTES TO INCLUDE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, DISASTER SERVICES, VETERANS & MILITARY FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY PRIORITIES. THESE AREAS WILL BE ADDRESSED THROUGH SERVICE ACTIVITIES THAT INCLUDE FOOD DISTRIBUTION, TRAINING, AND MOCK EMERGENCY EVACUATION TRAININGS. THESE ACTIVITIES ALONG WITH NUMEROUS OTHERS WILL TOUCH THE LIVES OF OVER 15,000 TRI-PARISH CITIZENS EVERY YEAR. ST. CHARLES PARISH IS REQUESTING $54,900 IN ANNUAL FEDERAL FUNDING. THIS AMOUNT WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY $185,000 DEDICATED FROM ST. CHARLES PARISH AND ANNUAL DONATIONS OF $20,000 FROM ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH AND $12,000 FROM THE UNITED WAY OF ST. CHARLES, AS WELL AS OTHER IN-KIND DONATIONS. IN 2015, VOLUNTEERS LOGGED A TOTAL OF 75,166.25 HOURS OF SERVICE AND THE RSVP ADMINISTRATORS ANTICIPATE MEETING OR EXCEEDING THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE IN 2017. NEW CAPACITY BUILDING EFFORTS ARE LIKELY TO CREATE NEW STATIONS AND GARNER NEW PARTNERSHIPS WITH AGENCIES IN THE RIVER PARISHES. THE RSVP ALSO PLANS TO PROVIDE THE SAME FULFILLING OPPORTUNITIES TO VOLUNTEERS. THE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES THE VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATE IN ENHANCE THE CAPACITY OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS AND THE PARTNERSHIPS OFFER MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL CITIZENS THROUGHOUT THE RIVER PARISHES.