History
NationallyIn 1994, President Bill Clinton signed legislation creating the Corporation for National and Community Service, bringing the full range of domestic community service programs under the umbrella of one central organization. The three programs—Foster Grandparents, RSVP, and Senior Companions—were brought together as Senior Corps. Along with AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America, Senior Corps became part of the newly formed Corporation for National and Community Service.
RSVP was an outgrowth of efforts by private groups and government agencies to create opportunities for engagement, activity, acquaintanceship, and growth for older Americans. One of the earliest programs was the Community Service Society of New York, launched as a pilot project in 1965 on Staten Island. The project involved a small group of volunteers who were dedicated to serving their communities in a variety of ways. The success of their efforts led to an amendment to the Older Americans Act, creating RSVP as a nationwide program in 1969.
For more information about Senior Corps and the national RSVP, please visit the website at www.nationalservice.gov.
LocallyThe Senior Resource Association, formerly The Council on Aging, has sponsored RSVP in Indian River County since 1984. Over the years, thousands of RSVP volunteers have served over 1.2 million hours at local non-profit organizations.
For more information about the Senior Resource Association, please visit the website at www.seniorresourceassociation.org.
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