RSVP
Retired & Senior Volunteer Program
People approaching and enjoying
retirement are volunteering in record numbers.
RSVP (Retired & Senior Volunteer Program) is a “one stop
shopping” program matching volunteers with wide life experience, with
volunteer sites needing skills, experience and dedication.
A program of the Corporation of
National and Community Service’s Senior Corps, RSVP serves in a diverse
range of nonprofit organizations, public agencies, health care and
faith-based groups. Among other activities, RSVP volunteers mentor
youth, act as Citizens on Patrol for the local police departments,
provide critical social and nutritional services to senior citizens, run
community/faith based thrift stores, staff information desks, provide
services in community hospitals and convalescent facilities, help at our
community museums and libraries, and are an active part of disaster
preparation.
Over
1600 active RSVP volunteers serve over
230 sites
in Fresno, Kings, Madera, Merced and Tulare Counties.
In 2009, RSVP volunteers reported
over
227,000 hours of volunteer
service, with an in-kind value of over
$5,170,000. Volunteer
programs include non-profit, civic, health, and school-related programs.
Participation ranges from a few hours a month, to nearly 40 hours per
week. RSVP volunteers
determine their own level of participation, and may volunteer in more
than one location. RSVP also
matches volunteers with one-time, done-in-a-day opportunities throughout
the year. Volunteers may
choose locations where they use existing skills
and life experience, or locations where they have the opportunity
to learn new skills.
© HandsOn Central California
HandsOn Central
California is a non-profit organization.
Tax ID: 94-2314572
RSVP Is Now
Five Counties Strong!
We continue to move ahead with our goal of strengthening and
expanding RSVP’s impact in our Central Valley.
On 1 April, 2010 HandsOn Central
California became the sponsoring agency for RSVP in Fresno, Kings,
Madera, Merced and Tulare Counties. We
now have an expanded staff, and both a central office and two branch
offices to serve the needs of volunteers and communities in of our five
counties.
Staff
·
Robbie Cranch, formerly
the Program Director for Fresno, Madera and Merced Counties, is Program
Director for the expanded area. Robbie
may be reached at
rcranch@handsoncentralcal.org
·
Bill Celaya continues as
Field Coordinator for Fresno and Madera Counties; he may be reached at
bceleya@handsoncentralcal.org
·
Laurie
Killian has joined
the HOCC/RSVP team as Field Coordinator for Tulare County; she may be
reached at
lkillian@handsoncentralcal.org.
·
Mary
Krieg-Vasquez has joined
us at Field Coordinator for Kings County; she may be reached at
mkriegvasquez@handsoncentralcal.org
· Ashlee Williams has joined us as Field Coordinator serving Merced County; she may be reached at awilliams@handsoncentralcal.org
Offices
Our central office remains in the
HandsOn Central California building, just south of the Tower
District in central Fresno.
Our office serving Kings and Tulare
Counties is located in the beautiful old Bank of Italy building in
downtown Tulare.
Our office serving Merced County is on Bob Hart Square (Main and
Canal Streets), in the restored turn-of-the-20th-century
also housing Bishop’s Restaurant.
All our offices are fully accessible and all have non-metered
street parking and/or non metered parking lots within 1/2 block of
our front doors.
Kings/Tulare RSVP Office
157 South “K” Street
Tulare, CA 93274-4001
559/688-7926
559/688-9552fax
Office hours 9-2 M-F
Fresno/Madera RSVP Office
732 North Van Ness Ave.
Fresno CA 93728-3427
559/237-3101
559/237-6860 fax
866/476-7787 toll free
Office hours 9-4 M-F
Merced RSVP Office
470 West Main Street, Suite 7
Merced, CA 95340-4822
209/233-9413
Office hours 10-2 M-F
Communications
Our hard-copy
newsletter serves all five counties:
in each issue, there are articles from and for each county,
volunteer opportunities, continuing education opportunities, and news
items of general interest to all volunteers and friends.
Our newsletter is published quarterly with copy deadlines of
December 10, March 10, June 10 and September 10.
Please submit copy electronically
to editor Robbie Cranch. RSVP
Newsletter
(click to download .pdf)
RSVP volunteers and stations who have
e-mail will also receive the HandsOn Central California e-newsletter.
Advisory Councils
RSVP Advisory
Councils serve as advisors, event planners, fundraisers, and supporters
of RSVP. Members are
active volunteers in the counties they serve. Meetings are scheduled
regularly and are open to the public.
Chairs may be contacted through the RSVP offices.
·
Fresno/Madera/Merced Counties’ AC meets
on the 4th Tuesday of the month, 4pm, in the Fresno RSVP office.
Shirley Main, Chair.
·
Kings/Tulare Counties’ AC meets on the
2nd Monday of the month at 10am in the Tulare RSVP office.
Rey Arcino, Chair.