Executive summary: the riverside county office on aging (rcooa) is requesting the opportunity to continue sponsoring rsvp of the coachella valley and blythe

While the corporation for national community service (cncs) has a mission to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteerism, rsvp of the coachella valley and blythe is striving to engage its volunteers and citizens in meeting specific community challenges. Our project provides opportunities for individuals 55 years old and older to volunteer their time and share their experience and skills in rider to assist local public and non-profit agencies. Rsvp of the coachella valley and blythe makes a substantial impact in the community, which is measureable by both qualitative and quantitate measures (outputs and outcomes), allowing the program to directly meet the needs of the community. The 2019-2022 rsvp project will focus on two (2) main cncs focus areas; healthy futures and disaster services. Healthy futures is the primary focus area and will assign rsvp volunteers to companionship activities designed to increase social support for homebound older adults and individuals with disabilities in hopes of increasing their capacity for independent living. Volunteers will also assist with local food pantries and organize food distribution, and provide evidence-based physical fitness and education classes that help to decrease falls, manage chronic disease, and insure the increased health and wellbeing of the coachella valley?s older adults. Disaster services will focus on helping individuals and communities prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the impact of disasters, as well as increase the community?s overall resilience in the event of a catastrophic event. At the end of the upcoming grant cycle, greater numbers of the coachella valley?s older adults will be informed about disaster preparedness and more volunteers will be ready to mobilize for disaster response.