RSVP

{ OnTheScene }

RETIRED SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

Helping to make a difference in our community

Story by Dalondo Moultrie

Times have been tough dealing with separation and so many other issues brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

Isolation is more difficult for some segments of society than others. Those having trouble coping had to figure out ways to handle emotional turmoil and physical symptoms of not being around the people they are accustomed to seeing and whose company they enjoyed.

One coping mechanism seniors found helpful was throwing themselves into volunteerism, said Barbara Weyland, director of Retried and Senior Volunteer Program.

“I think that it probably has to do with the fact that they remain more active,” she said. “Making friends, making social connections, particularly in our current time when people are more likely to move out of their hometowns, and a lot of times seniors are left without family where they live. So they don’t have that social support network, particularly once they retire.”

Even if not doing it intentionally, her organization helps seniors cope.

RSVP is a part of AmeriCorps Senior, a national, volunteer organization. AmeriCorps Senior started out as Volunteers in Service to American in 1965.

It made the switch in 1993 under then-President Bill Clinton as part of the National Community Service Trust Act and became AmeriCorps, Weyland said.

RSVP is one of the AmeriCorps programs. It supports people who are age 55 and older who provide volunteer services to a wide variety of organizations in the community.

Locally, RSVP helps steer volunteers to Guadalupe Valley Habitat for Humanity, Guadalupe Regional Medical Center, the Silver Center, the Christian Cupboard and more.

“We do have a focused program and that is called America Reads,” Weyland said. “That is a program in which we place our senior volunteers in the public schools to do tutoring in reading for kids usually between kindergarten and third grade.”

RSVP helps match people interested in volunteering with the different volunteer opportunities in the area at various different organizations.

The group operates in Guadalupe, Comal, Hays and Wilson counties, and is funded by federal, state and local grants, including ones from the United Way of Guadalupe and Comal counties. Her organization is always on the lookout for more seniors to assist, Weyland said.

“We go out to volunteer organizations and when we’re there talking to them, we find out if they have senior volunteers,” she said. “If they do, we get the information to their volunteers.”

Often, connecting retired volunteers becomes a win-win for those volunteering and those receiving assistance, Weyland said.

They also visit civic clubs like Lions Clubs, Rotary and others to find help for the community. People working with RSVP distribute brochures at places like the library to provide information about the available programs.

“First of all, people who are retired generally have a lot of experience they can still offer to the community. Some of them have very specific training like CPAs, teachers or people who’ve worked in construction or engineering,” she said. “Just because you’re retried doesn’t mean they don’t want to still share their skills and knowledge. They provide a real benefit particularly to nonprofits that are grant funded and don’t have to spend money getting consultants because they have volunteers with this specialized knowledge that can support these activities.”

At the same time, older volunteers expand their social connections and feel more a part of the overall community. “So the volunteer community kind of becomes their social network,” Weyland said. “That’s where they have friends, where they have regular activities and a regular schedule. People expect them to show up.”

As a person older than 55, she has seen the effects firsthand, Weyland said. Though she’s not retired, she volunteers in Seguin and has developed a sort of surrogate family through those philanthropic efforts.

“We all help each other. Particularly during the pandemic, we all checked on each other, we helped each other and we’re there for each other,” Weyland said. “It connects people who have similar interests, they’re of a similar age and they have similar needs. So it goes beyond just volunteering.”