AmeriCorps Seniors is a

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program run by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The program engages volunteers aged 55 and older to serve their communities. There are over 200,000 volunteers nationwide. AmeriCorps Seniors is made up of seven constituent programs—State and National, VISTA, NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps), Foster Grandparents, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), Senior Companions and Volunteer in Community—which were brought together under one umbrella when the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) was formed by then-

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in 1993. At that time, the three programs were collectively called Senior Corps. On September 29, 2020, CNCS announced the agency was rebranding itself as AmeriCorps, and Senior Corps was being rebranded as AmeriCorps Seniors. Three of the programs have unique histories, and each was developed to meet a specific need. The Foster Grandparent Program was piloted on August 28, 1965, to entice low income people over 60 in community service. The Senior Companion Program began as part of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare and Administration on Aging in 1968, and before being legislated and signed into law under President

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until Resignation of Richard Nixon, his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...

. The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) began as an outgrowth by private groups and government agencies to create opportunities of engagement, activity, and growth for older Americans following the work of the Community Service Society of New York on

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beginning in 1965; the Society's success led the Older Americans Act being amended to create RSVP as a nationwide program in 1969.

History

Senior Corps was formed from a merge of its constituent programs: Foster Grandparents, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), and Senior Companions. The three were originally mandated under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 with similar aims. The three programs have unique histories, and each was developed to meet a specific need, but all were crafted on the same belief that older adults are valuable resources to their communities. When the Corporation for National and Community Service was formed by then-

in 1993, the three organizations were reformed into the single agency Senior Corps. The Foster Grandparent Program was piloted on August 28, 1965, to attract low income individuals over 60 into community service. The program quickly revealed the positive impact these thriving older Americans have on exceptional and special needs children and grew in scope. In the 1980s, the Foster Grandparent Program was championed by First Lady

Nancy Reagan Nancy Davis Reagan (; born Anne Frances Robbins; July 6, 1921 – March 6, 2016) was an American film actress who was the first lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989, as the second wife of President Ronald Reagan. Reagan was born in ...

. She drew attention to the program and helped it grow as one of her pet projects. In 1968, the Senior Companion Program began as part of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare and Administration on Aging. Five years later, President Richard Nixon asked Congress to expand the role of low-income older volunteers who provide personal services to others. Seven months later, the Senior Companion Program was signed into law. RSVP began as an outgrowth by private groups and government agencies to create opportunities of engagement, activity, and growth for older Americans. One of the earliest programs, the Community Service Society of New York, began in 1965 on

. The project involved a small group of volunteers who were dedicated to serving their communities in a variety of ways. It was due to the success of their efforts that led to an amendment to the Older Americans Act, creating RSVP as a nationwide program in 1969.

Programs

Senior Corps is for people age 55+ who want to share their experiences with others who are most in need of mentors, coaches, or a companion.

Foster Grandparents

First operational on August 28, 1965, the Foster Grandparents program enables seniors to interact with and support young children, thus acting as foster

grandparents Grandparents, individually known as grandmother and grandfather, or Grandma and Grandpa, are the parents of a person's father or mother – paternal or maternal. Every sexually reproducing living organism who is not a genetic chimera has a m ...

. Open to seniors 55 and over, the program's goal is to provide "grandparents" who will give emotional support to victims of abuse and

tutor Tutoring is private academic help, usually provided by an expert teacher; someone with deep knowledge or defined expertise in a particular subject or set of subjects. A tutor, formally also called an academic tutor, is a person who provides assis ...

mentor Mentorship is the patronage, influence, guidance, or direction given by a mentor. A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. In an organizational setting, a mentor influences the perso ...

, and care for children with disabilities. The participants make a difference in the lives of these children, receive pre-service and monthly training sessions, transportation

reimbursement Reimbursement is the act of compensating someone for an out-of-pocket expense by giving them an amount of money equal to what was spent. Companies, governments and nonprofit organizations may compensate their employees or officers for necessary ...

, an annual physical, and

accident An accident is an unintended, normally unwanted event that was not deliberately caused by humans. The term ''accident'' implies that the event may have been caused by Risk assessment, unrecognized or unaddressed risks. Many researchers, insurers ...

and

liability insurance Liability insurance (also called third-party insurance) is a part of the general insurance system of risk financing to protect the purchaser (the "insured") from the risks of liabilities imposed by lawsuits and similar claims and protects the in ...

while working with the child/children. Some Foster Grandparents also receive small tax-free

stipend A stipend is a regular fixed sum of money paid for services or to defray expenses, such as for scholarship, internship, or apprenticeship. It is often distinct from an income or a salary because it does not necessarily represent payment for work pe ...

s to offset costs incurred while participating in the program; eligibility for these stipends is based on income criteria.

RSVP

Much like the Foster Grandparents program, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) seeks to provide a way in which senior citizens can give back to their community. Flexible in nature, RSVP allows participants to choose how and when they work. Open to seniors 55 and over, the program's goals are wide and varied, and include job training, tutoring children, building homes, helping immunize children, relief services, and aid to community organizations. Volunteers are given a pre-service orientation, on-the-job training from the placement agency or organization, and supplemental insurance while on duty. This program does not provide a stipend. One of the more widespread RSVP programs is a telephone reassurance service; RSVP volunteers contact other seniors by phone to ensure their well-being and provide friendly chat.

Senior Companions

The Senior Companions program is aimed at helping citizens who need extra assistance to live independently, such as adults with disabilities or those with

terminal illness Terminal illness or end-stage disease is a disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and is expected to result in the death of the patient. This term is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as cancer, rather than fatal injur ...

es and their

caregiver A caregiver, carer or support worker is a paid or unpaid person who helps an individual with activities of daily living. Caregivers who are members of a care recipient's family or social network, who may have specific professional training, are o ...

s. Participants provide both emotional and physical support by assisting with simple house chores, providing transportation, and offering companionship. A senior companion must be 55 years of age and able to give between 5 and 40 hours of service per week. In addition to making a significant contribution to the lives of others, participants receive pre-service and monthly training, transportation reimbursement, an annual physical, and meals and accident and liability insurance while on duty. Income-eligible Senior Companions also receive a modest, tax-free stipend to offset the cost of volunteering.

References

External links

AmeriCorps Seniors home page

RSVP home page

Senior Companions home page

Foster Grandparents home page
{{Nancy Reagan, state=collapsed Agencies of the United States government