Over 599 estimated rsvp volunteers will serve

The Corporation for National and Community Service Office of Grants Management awarded a $577,736 Project Grant to Mesa County Rsvp, Inc. under the AmeriCorps Seniors Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) 94.002.

Under this award, an estimated 599 retired and senior volunteers will deliver critical social services to address healthy aging outcomes over three years. Specifically, 566 volunteers will provide health information distribution, Medicare counseling, home-delivered meals to 1,500 elderly individuals, medical transportation for 200 clients, and food security support reaching 800 people. Additionally, 185 K-12 students are expected to benefit from senior scholar tutoring. The funding will also support organizational capacity building for 11 non-profits. In total, the grant aims to generate nearly $1.3M in savings on tax preparation fees for low-income residents. Mesa County Rsvp will leverage the $76,127 annual federal investment with $143,847 in additional funding to achieve these outcomes by the March 2024 completion date.

Of this number, 566 rsvp volunteers will be placed in outcome assignments. Some of their activities will include distributing health information, coaching clients in medicare issues, delivering food to people's homes, providing emergency food to those in need, and providing transportation to health care appointments and k-12 education. The primary focus area of this project is healthy futures. At the end of the three-year grant, the anticipated outcomes are 1,500 elderly and/or individuals with disabilities having increased social support by receiving home delivered meals; 200 clients receive rides to and from medical appointments and having increased social support; 800 individuals who report increased food security because of food bank/pantry support; 185 k-12 school children will experience improved academic engagement because of the senior scholar project volunteer tutors; 11 organizations will implement effective volunteer management practices; and low income taxpayers will save nearly $1,300,000 in tax preparation fees. The cncs federal investment of $76,127 will be supplemented by $143,847 annually in additional funding from state government grants, grants from local and state foundations, fundraising, and individual donations.