RSVP Of SW CT

RSVP recruits and places volunteers age 55 and over in programs that benefit the community and themselves by matching individual interests, skills and life experience with productive volunteer positions.

Description:
RSVP of SW CT recruits volunteers age 55 and older in volunteer positions in various non-profit agencies in the community. We have over 400 volunteers who donated over 35,000 hours to over 65 community agencies in lower Fairfield County. Our volunteer opportunities include Health & Safety, Literacy, Culture & Tourism, Companionship & Outreach, Environmental Preservation, and Capacity Building.

Our sponsor is NEON, a private nonprofit community action agency serving the greater Norwalk area.

History:
RSVP is an outgrowth of efforts by private groups, gerontologists, and government agencies over the past decades to address the needs of retirees. Back in 1961, the White House called attention to the continuing need of older people for useful activity. In 1965, the Older Americans Act was passed.

In 1971, RSVP was launched under the auspices of the Administration on Aging (AOA). In July of that year, RSVP was transferred to the federal agency, ACTION, which had oversight of federal domestic volunteer programs. 11 projects were started that summer.

This program proved to be a major success. ACTION was decentralized in 1973. Rapid growth quickly occurred, with over 650 projects nationwide operating on federal appropriations of $15,000,000. Federal funding doubled over the next 15 years, with the number of active projects expanding dramatically. Originally, volunteers had to be retired and over the age of 60. That changed in 1993 when the age was reduced to 55 and still in the work force.
By 2001, the RSVP program included over 750 local projects with nearly half a million volunteers contributing over 78 million hours of service through a network of 70,000 local agencies.

What started out as a small federal project nearly 30 years ago has become an integral part of many communities nationwide!

Contact person: Nancy Pratt, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (203) 899-2430

Address:

98 South Main St. Norwalk, CT 06854 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.rsvpswct.org

Directions:

Take I-95 to South Norwalk exit. Go south on West Ave. Bear left onto North Main St. Go straight under the railroad bridge onto South Main Street. Number 98 is two blocks down on left side.. . . (more)   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: South Norwalk Train Station,   Walk distance (in minutes): 3   Nearest Bus Stop: 98 South Main St., 0 minute walk

Miscellaneous Information

Does your agency have weekend volunteer opportunities?
	Yes
Does your agency have evening volunteer opportunities?
	Yes
Does your agecny accept court ordered communituy service volunteers?
	Yes
Does your agency accept and coordinate group projects for corporate volunteers?
	Yes
Does your agency accept and coordinate group projects for youth volunteers?
	No
Does your agency accept youth volunteers ages 8-13 with adult supervision?
	No
Does your agency accept youth volunteers ages 14-18?
	No

Last updated on November 19, 2009