WS Chronicle

By Judie Holcomb-Pack

Having recently received a Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Senior Core grant for $59,434 from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), a federal agency for volunteering and service, Love Community Development Corporation (LoveCDC) is now recruiting senior volunteers to work in several of their community programs. 

The grant will cover some of the costs of providing services, training and materials, as well as support for 69 Senior Corp volunteers serving in Winston-Salem and the surrounding communities of Bethania, Clemmons, Kernersville, Lewisville, Rural Hall, Tobaccoville, and Walkertown.

Pastor Angeline Sumpter, CEO of Love CDC, said that the grant “will allow us to increase the much-needed services we currently provide community residents, such as COVID-19 supplies, our food pantry, transportation to medical appointments, dress for success clothing, bus passes and education workshops.”

Patricia Gilliam, RSVP director, is currently working with schools and other service providing agencies to coordinate their efforts. She is seeking to collaborate with senior service providers who offer companionship, respite care, congregate feeding food pantries, telecare, and meals on wheels for seniors. This partnership will help to build the capacity of these agencies by allowing Love CDC to assist in the recruitment and placement of senior volunteers through RSVP.

The education program will work with volunteers who will tutor and mentor disadvantaged youth in kindergarten through third grade. Gilliam is currently working with schools to determine how volunteers can virtually tutor and support students who will be learning online for the first nine weeks of the school year. The education focus will:

*Support student learning efforts through providing administrative support for teachers.

*Tutor and mentor disadvantaged and disabled youth (in person or virtually).

*Read books with students and engage with the student in discussion questions about the book.

Another program is their food pantry which provides food and household supplies to seniors.

The Tele-care program volunteers check on seniors through frequent phone calls to provide access to services and/or resources such as companionship, nutrition and food support, respite care and transportation for adults who are homebound and older adults and individuals with disabilities to enable them to age in place.

RSVP volunteers will also seek opportunities to address other community priority needs.

LoveCDC is looking for volunteers who are 55 years or older and interested in becoming an RSVP volunteer. Volunteers receive benefits including pre-service orientation, supplemental insurance while serving, training and on-going recognition. While serving, Senior Corp volunteers also improve their own lives, staying active and healthy through service. A growing body of research points to mental and physical health benefits associated with volunteering, including lower mortality rates, increased strength and energy, decreased rates of depression, and fewer physical limitations.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Patricia Gilliam, RSVP director, at 336-269-2762 (mobile), 336-997-9050 (office) or email pgilliamledersvp@gmail.com.