Applicant (sponsor organization) kauai county agency on elderly affairs (AEA) 4444 rice ST., STE #330 lihue, HI 96766 kauai rsvp is sponsored by the county of kauai agency on elderly affairs, who is…

The Corporation for National and Community Service Office of Grants Management awarded a $726,192 Project Grant to the County of Kauai under the AmeriCorps Seniors Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP, CFDA 94.002). The County of Kauai will utilize the funding to support an estimated 320 volunteers ages 55 and older through the Kauai RSVP program.

Seventy-five volunteers will address national performance measures in areas like healthy futures by increasing food security and providing social support to homebound older adults. An additional 245 volunteers will work on other community priority initiatives. Activities will include food distribution, delivery and assistance at soup kitchens; telephone reassurance and social contact using technology; and capacity building efforts like fundraising at gift shops and thrift stores to leverage additional resources for social service programs. The funding will support these volunteer services through March 2024 and is intended to empower older residents to remain active community members while addressing local needs.

Applicant (sponsor organization) kauai county agency on elderly affairs (AEA) 4444 rice ST., STE #330 lihue, HI 96766 kauai rsvp is sponsored by the county of kauai agency on elderly affairs, who is the local area agency on aging and the designated aging and disability resource center. The mission of the area agency: plans, implements, supports and advocates for the well-being of kauai's older adults; and serves as a one-stop source of information on long-term care support options and services for all residents. The vision of the area agency: -kauai's older adults will live independently at home or in the community with dignity and respect. -kauai's family caregivers receive adequate support to care for their older adults. -kauai's older adults, persons with disabilities and family caregivers will make informed choices and have streamlined access to long-term care support. The program strives to develop and align work plans with the sponsor agency's area plan to help meet the needs of kauai's older adults. An estimated 320 rsvp volunteers will serve. Of the $1,000 in annual base funding per unduplicated volunteer calculation, 75 unduplicated volunteers will be placed in work plans that result in national performance measure outcomes. The remaining 245 unduplicated volunteers will be placed in other community priority or additional outcome-based work plans. The primary focus area of this project is healthy futures. At the end of the three-year grant period, the program will address obesity and food by increasing food security particularly as part of the covid-19 pandemic recovery efforts, for older adults, persons with disabilities and other residents who are economically disadvantaged and have been financially impacted by the pandemic. The program will also address the older adult population to help them age in place by providing social support to older adults, especially those homebound and who live alone. Because kaua'i is considered a rural area where resources are limited, the program will support social service programs and other organizations that address community need through capacity building activities that increase the effectiveness, efficiency and/or program scale and reach. These outcomes will be met through the following example of volunteer service activities: healthy futures: provide food/nutrition support through food distribution, food delivery and soup kitchens. Healthy futures: provide social support through telephone reassurance and social contact using smart phones and other technologies. Capacity building: assist social service and other programs through fundraising efforts at gift shops, thrift stores and other activities that leverage resources to increase effectiveness, efficiency and/or program scale and reach. Kauai rsvp will address needs in collaboration with the sponsor agency, government and non-profit partners using their best practices and proven programs while providing opportunities for senior service to address unmet local and state needs, empower those 55 and better to continue being a contributing member of their community and give them an opportunity to share their knowledge and experience. The cncs federal investment of $75,000, will be supplemented by $165,936 by the county of kauai.