Oneoc has effectively managed the rsvp program in orange county, california (service area CA-15) for over 40 years

The Volunteer Center Orange County (Oneoc) will use a $501,325.47 three-year Project Grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) under the AmeriCorps Seniors Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) to support 120 volunteers providing disaster readiness, organizational capacity building, meal delivery, housing assistance, employment services, and student mentoring in Orange County, California. Specifically, Oneoc volunteers will train 25 individuals and organizations in disaster preparedness and readiness; build capacity of 30 non-profits through board development and diversity efforts; deliver meals to homebound seniors and food-insecure individuals and families; assist 20 organizations providing housing transition services; develop professional wardrobes for 80 unemployed individuals through job readiness services at partner organizations; and mentor 40 K-12 students to improve academic engagement and social-emotional skills. The CNCS investment of $119,036 annually will be supplemented with $51,041 in non-federal resources to support these services through March 2024.

Building on this foundation, oneoc will continue many of the successful rsvp volunteer activities, while turning our primary focus to disaster services. All 120 volunteers will be placed in outcome assignments. Our decades-long experience in disaster services has proven particularly critical in this time of the covid-19 pandemic. Disaster services-disaster readiness volunteers (25) fulfill two roles: provide training in disaster preparedness, disaster simulations and readying the emergency volunteer center (EVC); and helping recruit and place spontaneous volunteers to fulfill critical community needs and implement disaster readiness. Disaster services-organizational capacity building volunteers (15) will invest their skills with 30 organizations to improve capacity through increased board effectiveness and diversity as they respond to and recover from the covid-19 pandemic and prepare for future disasters. Healthy futures-obesity and food volunteers (25) will prepare and deliver meals for home bound seniors and people with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged individuals and families, resulting in increased food security and social support. Economic opportunity-housing volunteers (20) will work with organizations offering individuals transition into safe, healthy and affordable housing. Economic opportunity-employment volunteers (20) will also serve at organizations offering job readiness services, such as development of professional wardrobes for 80 unemployed individuals. Education-k-12 success volunteers (10) will mentor 40 students, who will demonstrate improved academic engagement and/or social emotional skills improvement. Education-school readiness volunteers (5) will work with students to prepare them for academic and social success. The cncs federal investment of $119,036 per year will be supplemented by $51,041 in non-federal resources.