The mission of RSVP of North Central Iowa is to provide meaningful purposeful volunteer opportunities for people 55 years of age and above, to meet priority community needs.

Description:
RSVP of North Central Iowa is a national service program serving Cerro Gordo, Hancock, Winnebago and Worth counties. Sponsored by Waldorf College, RSVP is gaining national attention through its innovative Baby Boomer Projects. Following the Corporation For National and Community (CNCS) service directive, to recruit the Baby Boomer generation into service, RSVP is involved in two cutting edge projects. RSVP has re-organized and re-structured its organization to recruit and retain Boomers to meet critical community needs. Last year over 200 RSVP Coaches, Buddies, and Partners impacted 370 students (K - college aged) in the four county area, evidenced by improved academic performance.

History:
RSVP of North Central Iowa opened in August, 1974 and was first sponsored by NIACC in Mason City. As a grantee of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the emphasis at that time was giving older adults something to do as life expectancies were increasing. There was also an emphasis on getting as many individuals doing as many things as possible and collecting volunteer hours. This emphasis continued as the RSVP sponsorship and offices were transferred to the Area Education Agency located in Clear Lake, in 1987. By the time the sponsorship transferred to Waldorf College, in 1997, a charge came from the Corporation for National and Community Service requiring all projects to change to outcomes based programming and prioritize activities that met critical community needs. Also, the CNCS strategic plan included an emphasis on recruitment of Baby Boomer volunteers.
Beginning in 2000, changes were made to revitalize the RSVP Advisory Council, develop a new strategic plan and marketing plan, streamline operations, introduce outcomes based program management, narrow the program focus and move all staff and operations to campus. Within two years, RSVP of North Central Iowa was in compliance with CNCS and deemed in the top two percent of 755 programs nationwide. The organization is now seen as a leader in the area, the state and national for innovative programming that brings results. It is involved in two Baby Boomer Projects that are gaining national attention.
RSVP and Waldorf College boast a strong dynamic relationship, sharing parallel missions focused on "service."

Contact people:

Elaine Hanson, Executive Director, (phone), (email) Dawn Ramaker, Operations Manager, (phone), (email) Mary Graham, Marketing Director, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (641) 585-8194

Address:

106 S 6th St Forest City , IA 50436 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.waldorf.edu/rsvp

Directions:

RSVP of North Central Iowa is located in Salveson Hall, the administration building, on the Waldorf College campus. This building is east of the Winnebago County Court House.