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Launched in Central
Arkansas in 1972, originally under the auspices of the Pulaski
County Council on Aging, the Retired and Senior Volunteer
Program (RSVP) helps individuals age 45 and older put their
skills and life experience to work for their communities. RSVP
volunteers serve from a few to forty hours a week in many
challenging volunteer opportunities. They do just about
everything--from tutoring children and assisting a senior
center patron, to helping cancer patients and comforting
victims of disasters. However they serve, RSVP volunteers meet
critical community needs.
For thirty-seven
years, RSVP has matched problems to be solved with people
willing to help. Today, more than 450,000 seniors participate
in RSVP nationally, making it one of the largest volunteer
efforts in the nation. There are currently over 1,200 RSVP
volunteers performing a variety of services in Central
Arkansas.
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Why Do RSVP
Volunteers Get Involved?
Some people feel a
lack of productivity when they no longer have a regular work
site or schedule. RSVP helps seniors stay active and involved.
Volunteers join a large service network, learning new skills
or using the know-how they've developed over a lifetime.
Many RSVP volunteers have lived in the community for a
long time. Because the community has given them so much, they
see serving as a way to give something back. RSVP volunteers
discover that when they give, they gain a lot too. Studies
show that seniors who volunteer live longer, healthier, and
more fulfilling lives.
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