RSVP Volunteers “Age Out Loud”

Did you know that May is Older Americans Month?

Each May, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) leads our nation’s celebration of Older Americans Month (OAM). Their theme this year is “Age Out Loud”. What it means to age has changed, and celebrating Older Americans Month is a great time to look and see what our retired and senior volunteers are accomplishing as they age out loud.

Every day our RSVP volunteers “Age Out Loud” and respond to the needs of our communities. Many of our volunteers serve in places that ensure “Healthy Futures” for so many people in our communities. This includes giving to those aging in place by helping with transportation, meal delivery, companionship, coaching exercise programs, and distributing information, or staffing hotlines, food pantries, and soup kitchens. Within the last fiscal year, our volunteers served over 27,000 hours in this category alone. According to the Independent Sector, a volunteer’s time in Illinois is worth $25.34 per hour. That means the RSVP volunteers of Macon and DeWitt Counties gave a value of $ 691,268 of services to our elderly, disabled, and hungry. Talk about aging out loud!!!

And that’s not all during this same time volunteers also contributed to disaster service programs, programs for the good of the environment, mentored or tutored children and adults, provided free tax preparation and helped build homes. Recycled plastic bags into mats for the homeless, and created afghans for anyone in need of a little comfort. Volunteers also participated in fundraising for their favorite charities, served on boards to help guide other non-profits, and collected coupons for the Expired Coupons for Overseas Military Families (ECOM). I could go on and on about how awesome our older adults in this community are but I would rather you get out and join them and “Age Out Loud” in your own way!!

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