THE RETIRED AND SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM OF PINELLAS COUNTY (RSVP) IS ONE OF 6 DIRECT SERVICE PROGRAMS OFFERED BY PINELLAS OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL, INC. (POC), A PRIVATE NOT-FOR-PROFIT "COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY" THAT HAS IDENTIFIED AND ADDRESSED THE MANY AND VARIED MATERIAL, EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, AND EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF PEOPLE - PARTICULARLY THE ECONOMICALLY-DISADVANTAGED - THROUGHOUT PINELLAS COUNTY, FLORIDA, SINCE 1968. THE PURPOSE OF RSVP - BEGUN LOCALLY IN 1977 - IS TO CREATE MEANINGFUL AND WELLNESS-ENHANCING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS AGE 55 AND ABOVE TO PARTICIPATE MORE FULLY IN THE LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH VOLUNTEER SERVICE. THE PROGRAM MATCHES THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE OF THIS VITAL AND RAPIDLY GROWING AGE GROUP TO CRITICAL NEEDS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. POC IS NEARING THE END OF A THREE YEAR GRANT CYCLE THAT STARTED IN 2015 WITH A TOTAL OF 552 VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE GIVEN MORE THAN 180,500 HOURS OF SERVICE TO THE THOSE IN NEED IN PINELLAS COUNTY. THIS EQUATES TO MORE THAN $4.3 MILLION IN IN-KIND LABOR DONATIONS TO RSVP'S PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS. THE PINELLAS OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL, INC. IS REQUESTING $117,889.00 FROM THE CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICES TO PROVIDE A VARIETY OF SERVICE ACTIVITIES REFLECTED THAT WILL SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS SOME OF THE MOST URGENT NEEDS AND ISSUES CURRENTLY EXISTING THROUGHOUT PINELLAS COUNTY. THESE ACTIVITIES WILL INCREASE THE ABILITY FOR OLDER ADULTS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY IN THEIR HOMES; IMPROVE NUTRITION FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY; PROVIDE STABILITY TO ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE HOMELESS OR AT IMMINENT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS; IMPROVE EMPLOYABILITY FOR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED PERSONS LEADING TO INCREASED SUCCESS IN GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT; IMPROVE CHILDREN?S SAFETY, WELFARE AND OVERALL HEALTH AND; ADDRESS THE COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS OF A LARGE AND EXTENSIVE VETERAN AND MILITARY COMMUNITY. POC?S PRIMARY FOCUS FOR 2018 WILL BE HEALTHY FUTURES. IN ADDITION TO HEALTHY FUTURES, THE RSVP OF PINELLAS COUNTY WILL ALSO ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS THAT FOCUS ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WHO ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND WORKING TO IMPROVE SCHOOL READINESS FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE IN SAFETY, WELFARE, AND HEALTH PROGRAMS. AT THE END OF THE THREE YEAR GRANT PERIOD, RSVP OF PINELLAS COUNTY WILL HAVE RECRUITED, TRAINED, AND PLACED A MINIMUM OF 140 VOLUNTEERS IN 23 COMMUNITY-BASED WORK SETTINGS, GENERATING A COMBINED TOTAL OF 87,360 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE OVER THE THREE YEAR COURSE OF THE FUNDING PERIOD, OR 29,120 HOURS PER YEAR. THE HOURS SERVED BY OUR VOLUNTEERS WILL NOT ONLY CREATE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEIR TIME AND THEIR TALENTS TO THOSE IN NEED, BUT WILL ALSO BE INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS ACHIEVE THEIR MISSIONS IN ADDRESSING CRITICAL NEEDS THAT BETTER THE LIVES OF THOSE LESS FORTUNATE.