Senior Corps: a chance for seniors to serve
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WORLAND – Monday on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, AmeriCorps member Amy Reed spoke at the Worland Senior Citizens Center about the ways that people 55 and older can give back to the community through AmeriCorps Senior Corps program.
Reed stated at the beginning of her presentation that Senior Corps helps the young people in the community thrive, connects seniors to the community and makes a difference and that AmeriCorps provides necessary training.
Reed began her presentation quoting Martin Luther King Jr. asking, “Life’s most persistent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” She then explained to those attending what they could do through AmeriCorps Senior Corps program for others.
Senior Corps offers three opportunities for seniors to give back to the community. One of those opportunities is foster grandparenting through the Big Brothers/ Big Sisters program. Seniors can become a lunch buddy, help in tutoring, become a Big Brother or Big Sister and participate in monthly match activities with youth provided by the Big Brothers/ Big Sisters. Reed stated that many kids need help to get on the right path to success and thrive, but they need the seniors to help them. “Incentive for helping 15-40 hours per week is that AmeriCorps provides you with accident, liability and auto insurance during your assignment,” Reed added.
Another way that seniors can give back to the community is to become part of the senior companion program. This program has seniors spend time with other seniors who are unable to get out of the house. “Your job would be to run errands, spend time with them, do fun activities together, assist them with anything that they need,” Reed said. “Incentive for helping 15-40 hours a week contains ongoing educational opportunities. Some topics covered are Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and stroke. This is an exciting opportunity to be an advocate as well as assist your friends,” she added.
The Retired Service Volunteer Program (RSVP) is the third way that seniors can give back to the community. “This program is for seniors who volunteer in the community with other organizations such as the hospital auxiliary, Elks Does, Relay for Life, etc. You choose your service in the community. The timeframe for this can range from a few hours a week to 40 hours, based on how involved you wish to be,” Reed stated. “Incentive for helping a few to 40 hours a week includes mileage reimbursement, as well as accident, liability, and auto insurance during your assignment,” she added.
Extension Educator Caitlin Price Youngquist also spoke about the need for volunteers at the community garden and that volunteering at the community garden is part of the RSVP.
Seniors interested in becoming an AmeriCorps Senior Corps member can contact Jennifer Wetherbee at 307-388-0602.
