Pennsylvania, Greene County – Community Action Southwest announced today that it has received a Senior Corps RSVP grant of $78,577 from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to support 88 RSVP volunteers serving in Greene County, Pennsylvania. The grant will expand Community Action Southwest’s presence in Greene County, which was previously unserved by a Senior Corps RSVP project.

“This award is a great opportunity for CAS to enhance the services to seniors in Greene County and we are excited to engage this population even more than before,” says CEO, Darlene Bigler.

The funds were awarded as part of a Senior Corps grant competition to expand RSVP to new geographic areas. Through Community Action Southwest, RSVP volunteers will package and distribute home delivered meals to homebound elderly; educate older adults about financial literacy; prepare taxes for senior citizens, low-income individuals and people with disabilities through the VITA tax assistance program; provide telephone reassurance to isolated seniors to ensure their well-being; and mentor children through intergenerational activities in Head Start classrooms.

Volunteers can sign up by contacting Community Action Southwest, Director of Senior Services, Stacy Stroman, at 724-852-2893 or by visiting our website at www.caswg.org.

Established in 1971, RSVP engages Americans age 55 and older in citizen service that addresses the nation’s most pressing challenges. While serving, RSVP 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.

In 2016, more than 208,000 Senior Corps RSVP volunteers served in communities across the country. Through community and faith-based organizations, RSVP volunteers served more than 300,000 veterans, mentored more than 78,000 children, and provided independent living services to more than 797,000 older adults.

According to the annual Volunteering and Civic Life in America report by CNCS, more than 21 million Americans 55+ contributed more than 3.3 billion hours of service in their communities. Based on the Independent Sector’s estimate of the average value of a volunteer hour, their collective service provides a yearly economic benefit valued at $78 billion.

Community Action Southwest offers a myriad of programs and services including Early Childhood Services, Family Economic Success, Nutrition Services, Senior Services, Foster Care, Adoption and Child Welfare Services.

Senior Corps is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency for volunteering and service. CNCS engages millions of Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service each year through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, Social Innovation Fund, and Volunteer Generation Fund programs and leads volunteer and civic engagement initiatives for the nation. For more information, visit www.nationalservice.gov.