Highland Sponsored RSVP celebrates Senior Corps Week of September 20th
9/21/2010

Freeport — The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Northwest Illinois, sponsored by Highland Community College, will join the nationwide celebration of the first Senior Corps Week, September 20-24, spotlighting the extraordinary work done by Senior Corps members in communities across Illinois.

“We are proud to be part of Senior Corps and grateful for the members who are getting things done,” said Mike Shore, director of the RSVP. “Senior Corps members have made a tremendous impact allowing us to extend our outreach and services.

Senior Corps works with existing organizations to help them reach more people and better achieve their mission. For more than four decades, the three Senior Corps programs—RSVP, Foster Grandparents, and Senior Companions—have engaged age 55-plus volunteers in service to meet critical needs. Last year, nearly 500,000 Senior Corps volunteers provided 98 million hours of service estimated to be worth more than $2 billion.

Senior Corps members in RSVP of Northwest Illinois do a wide range of volunteer activities that include assisting at local hospitals and nursing homes, transporting elderly to doctor appointments and grocery shopping, adult and school tutoring, special event volunteers, assisting the Stephenson County jail, assisting with area museums, friendly visiting, disaster services and many other service activities. The 500-plus members of the RSVP of Northwest Illinois provided over 81,000 hours of service last year saving local agencies an estimated $1,002,515.00. The RSVP of Northwest Illinois volunteers are located in Stephenson, Carroll, Jo Daviess and Ogle Counties. They work with over 90 non-profit agencies that meet the needs of clients throughout northwest Illinois.

Senior Corps Week, September 20-24, celebrates the extraordinary commitment and contribution made by Senior Corps volunteers and recognizes their critical impact on addressing tough challenges in our nation. For more information, contact the RSVP office at 815-599-3491 or 815-599-3564 or visit www.seniorcorps.gov.

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OFFICE OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS
2998 W. Pearl City Road
Freeport, IL 61032-9341

815-235-6121
Fax 815-235-6130