Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)
RSVP encourages people (age 55 or older) to offer their skills and energy to meet community needs, especially in the areas of education, public safety, environment, health, and human services. RSVP recruits and places senior volunteers with local agencies, and provides support through recognition, mileage reimbursement and insurance coverage.
How much time do I have to commit?
It’s up to you. Some volunteer as little as a few hours/month, some work several hours/day. Others volunteer for occasional short-term projects. It depends on you and the volunteer job you choose-some require a certain time commitment, most do not.
What are the benefits of RSVP?
See attached PDF
How many RSVP volunteers are in Skagit County?
In 2007, 865 RSVP volunteers reported over 122,000 hours of service valued at over 2 million dollars!
I travel a lot-can I still volunteer?
Yes! Many (not all) volunteer jobs are flexible. Some of our most valuable volunteers leave for the winter or take frequent trips. The important thing is to let the volunteer coordinator know when you will be gone—they’ll welcome you back with open arms!
What geographical area does RSVP serve?
Skagit RSVP operates within Skagit County. Neighboring projects cover Whatcom and Snohomish counties. In all, there are RSVPs in 28 of Washington’s 36 counties.
What if I don’t live in Skagit County, but I want to volunteer?
Great! Even if you don’t live in the county, you can still be an RSVP volunteer if you serve at an RSVP volunteer site in Skagit County. Several volunteers come from outside the county. We even have a few who volunteer in 2 or 3 counties.
Is all my volunteer work covered by RSVP?
RSVP can count almost any volunteer work you do as long as it is not primarily religious or political (church-operated social service programs are ok-like food banks or shelters).
What kind of organizations can be RSVP Volunteer Stations?
Public or governmental agencies, non-profits, and proprietary health care organizations are eligible to be RSVP Volunteer Stations. Skagit RSVP has agreements with over 90 agencies and organizations.
How did RSVP get started?
In 1971, 11 RSVP programs were launched nationwide, with federal funding under the authority of the Older Americans Act, by the newly created volunteer service agency, ACTION (which also included VISTA and Peace Corp). RSVP began in Skagit County in 1974.
How is Skagit RSVP supported?
As sponsor of RSVP, Skagit County receives federal funding for about ½ of the program costs. Significant support from the County, contributions from the cities, the state legislature, United Way, and numerous private donations from organizations, businesses, and individuals provide the rest.