Senior Corps Volunteers Recognized at Luncheon

Family & Community Services, Inc.

Senior Corps volunteers from Montgomery, Clark and Greene counties in the Foster Grandparents Program (FGP) and Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) will be recognized at a luncheon to be held on Friday, September 15, 2017 from 11am – 1pm at the Montgomery County Business Solutions Center, 1435 Cincinnati Street, Dayton.

Lorine Rayford of the Foster Grandparents Program will offer an invocation. Featured speakers include Dr. Michael Gaines of Central State University; and LaBerta Williams of Blacks in Government from Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Music will be performed by Instruments of Praise. The Thurman Grill is catering the event.

Both FGP and RSVP are Senior Corps National Service Programs for adults 55 and over to use their skills and experience to meet community needs, with a focus in the areas of health/wellness and education.

FGP volunteers serve between 15 and 40 hours per week as school-based mentors with at-risk youth in area school and education settings. The volunteers provide one-on-one attention to help students become more academically engaged. Volunteers who meet certain income guidelines receive a stipend and mileage.

RSVP volunteers serve between five and 40 hours per week for six months in a diverse range of settings and activities for children, youth, adults and seniors in need. RSVP volunteers may be assigned to a specific site – a non-profit, school, or health facility – but they may also serve at various community events throughout the year. They do not receive a stipend, but they receive supplemental liability insurance and may be eligible for mileage reimbursement.

“The children need the service from us and what we can offer as Foster Grandparents,” according to Cheryl, Dayton Foster Grandparent.
“The service hours provided by dedicated volunteers continue to be of vital importance to our communities. Every day these seniors get up, get out, and make a difference,” says Karen Gajewski, Director of Foster Grandparent Programs for Family & Community Services, Inc. “Volunteers not only provide valuable service to the community, but they benefit as well.”

“Research shows an association between volunteering and mental/physical health benefits, lower mortality rates, lower rates of depression, fewer physical limitations and higher levels of well-being,” says Gerard Kelly, RSVP Director. He adds, “Volunteering is particularly helpful for older Americans undergoing a life stress (unemployment/retirement/loss of loved one) or for those who are at risk for being isolated. It can provide an important way to stay connected.”

For more information about the Foster Grandparents Program, contact Del Gillespie at 937-225-9999.
For more information about RSVP, contact Tommy McGuffey at 937-225-9999.

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About Senior Corps Foster Grandparents Program and RSVP:

The Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) and RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) are both national service Senior Corps programs for adults age 55 and over. The mission is two-fold:
1) To invest in the experience, energy and efforts of citizens age 55 and over as volunteers to help meet the needs and challenges in the community.
2) To partner with organizations who are meeting the needs and challenges of the community by connecting them to the experience, energy, and efforts of volunteers age 55 and over.
Foster Grandparents