Project Grant 21SRHSC006

THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN ENDS OF LANCASTER COUNTY IN SOUTH CAROLINA ARE DIVIDED NOT ONLY BY GEOGRAPHY BUT ALSO BY THEIR DIFFERING COMMUNITY CONTEXTS. THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF THE COUNTY IS SQUARELY IN ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING AND MOST AFFLUENT PARTS OF THE CHARLOTTE, NC REGION. NEARLY 30% OF THE COUNTY'S RESIDENTS ARE CONCENTRATED IN THE MORE DENSELY POPULATED PANHANDLE, INCLUDING IN SEVERAL LARGE ACTIVE ADULT LIVING COMMUNITIES; HOWEVER, CENSUS FIGURES FROM 2010 INDICATE THAT 50% OF THE COUNTY POPULATION LIVES IN RURAL AREAS. THE SOUTHERN, MORE RURAL END OF THE COUNTY FACES THE CHALLENGES COMMON TO RURAL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING DECREASED AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES, BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT AND OPPORTUNITY, AND INCREASED HEALTH INEQUITIES. A 2018 ANALYSIS BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL FOUND THAT THE GAP IN LIFE EXPECTANCY BETWEEN THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN ENDS OF LANCASTER COUNTY CAN BE GREATER THAN 10 YEARS. THE LANCASTER COUNTY COUNCIL ON AGING, INC. (LCCOA) IS THE CATAWBA AREA AGENCY ON AGING'S LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDER FOR LANCASTER COUNTY. ITS MISSION IS TO PROVIDE A SYSTEM OF COORDINATED AND COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES TO ENABLE OLDER PERSONS OF LANCASTER COUNTY TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THEIR INDEPENDENCE. WITH SATELLITE LOCATIONS THAT RANGE FROM THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE THROUGH THE SOUTHERN END OF THE COUNTY, LCCOA OPERATES PROGRAMS THAT COVER THE ENTIRE FOOTPRINT OF LANCASTER COUNTY. IT IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO IMPLEMENT THE LANCASTER COUNTY RETIRED AND SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM (LANCASTER COUNTY RSVP) AND CONNECT THE LARGE NUMBER OF POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS FROM THE NORTHERN END OF THE COUNTY TO POCKETS OF NEED AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE SOUTHERN END. HELPING OTHER PEOPLE EFFECTIVELY (HOPE) IN LANCASTER, INC., A NONPROFIT WITH MULTIPLE SERVICE LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND ITS OWN STRONG RECORD OF EFFECTIVE VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT, WILL PARTNER WITH LCCOA AS AN RSVP VOLUNTEER STATION AND PROVIDE A RANGE OF ADDITIONAL SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS EFFORT. AN ESTIMATED 90 RSVP VOLUNTEERS WILL SERVE. OF THIS NUMBER, 90 RSVP VOLUNTEERS WILL BE PLACED IN OUTCOME ASSIGNMENTS. VOLUNTEER SERVICE ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE PROVIDING VULNERABLE HOMEBOUND ADULTS WITH HOME-DELIVERED MEALS, REGULAR CONTACT, AND FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTION TO ASSIST THEM TO AGE IN PLACE; AND PROVIDING DIRECT ACCESS TO FREE FRESH AND HEALTHY FOODS AT FOOD PANTRIES AND DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS FOR FOOD-INSECURE COUNTY RESIDENTS. THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA OF THIS PROJECT IS HEALTHY FUTURES. AT THE END OF THE THREE-YEAR GRANT, 276 VULNERABLE SENIORS WILL RECEIVE INCREASED SOCIAL SUPPORT OR IMPROVED CAPACITY FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING AND 1,675 RESIDENTS WILL EXPERIENCE INCREASED FOOD SECURITY THROUGH THE SERVICES OF LANCASTER COUNTY RSVP. THE CNCS FEDERAL INVESTMENT OF $75,000 WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY $27,461.