Project Grant 19SRNMI004

AN ESTIMATED 170 RSVP VOLUNTEERS WILL SERVE. OF THIS NUMBER, AT LEAST 135 WILL BE PLACED IN ASSIGNMENTS WITH NATIONAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES. THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA FOR RSVP OF VAN BUREN COUNTY WILL BE HEALTHY FUTURES: AGING IN PLACE. THE SERVICE ACTIVITIES WILL BE MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION FOR SENIORS. (52 UNDUPLICATED VOLUNTEERS) ADDITIONAL HEALTHY FUTURES ACTIVITIES INCLUDE OBESITY AND FOOD: VOLUNTEERS WILL STAFF FOOD PANTRIES, COMMODITIES DISTRIBUTIONS, FOOD TRUCKS, AND SUBSIDIZED MEALS. (55 UNDUPLICATED VOLUNTEERS) VOLUNTEERS WILL ALSO SERVE IN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY: VITA TAX PREPARATION AND MMAP ASSISTANCE (FINANCIAL LITERACY) AND RAMP BUILDING AND MINOR HOME REPAIR (HOUSING). (28 VOLUNTEERS) AT THE END OF OUR THREE YEAR GRANT WE HOPE TO HAVE OVER 750,000 OUTCOMES . THE ANNUAL FEDERAL GRANT AMOUNT OF $74,338 (64%) WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY $42,147 (36%) FROM NON-FEDERAL RESOURCES. RSVP OF VBC HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN MEETING TRANSPORTATION NEEDS OF SENIORS LAST YEAR APPROXIMATELY 500 ROUND TRIP RIDES WERE PROVIDED AND OUR INTENTION IS TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER BY A THIRD NEXT YEAR. VOLUNTEERS HAVE WORKED AT LOCAL PANTRIES, SERVING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN NEED, ALONG WITH 300 SENIORS A MONTH AT FOOD TRUCKS & COMMODITIES DISTRIBUTION; AND OVER 14,000 SUBSIDIZED MEALS AT SENIOR CENTERS. LAST YEAR VOLUNTEERS PREPARED OVER 2000 TAX RETURNS, COUNSELED OVER 80 SENIORS WITH THEIR INSURANCE NEEDS ,THROUGH OUR MMAP PROGRAM, COMPLETED OVER 20 HOME REPAIRS, AND BUILT 15 RAMPS. WE EXPECT TO CONTINUE THIS EXCELLENT RECORD OF SERVICE IN ALL OF THESE AREAS IN THE FUTURE WE EXPECT TO HAVE OVER 70% OF OUR VOLUNTEERS IN FOCUS AREAS WITH NATIONAL PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES, AND 63% IN OUR PRIMARY FOCUS AREAS. WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO PLACE VOLUNTEERS IN OTHER COMMUNITY PRIORITIES, WHICH INCLUDE: SSVBC CRAFTERS WITH A CAUSE, HOPE PARENT RESOURCE NETWORK, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COALITION, SOUTH HAVEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY THRIFT STORE, BRONSON HOSPITAL , AMERICAN RED CROSS, CARING CIRCLE HOSPICE. THIS PAST GRANT YEAR, VOLUNTEERS PROVIDED OVER 33,000 VOLUNTEER SERVICE HOURS. THE REPUTATIONS OF BOTH RSVP AND SSVBC CONTINUE TO GROW STRONGER EVERY YEAR, WITH INDIVIDUALS, OTHER AGENCIES, AND ALSO WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES WHO PAY THEIR MILLAGE DOLLARS TO SSVC AND REFER SENIORS TO RSVP.