Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service

National Service in Iowa

The Corporation for National and Community Service
engages Americans of all ages and backgrounds in
service to help strengthen communities.

About the Corporation

For more than a decade, the Corporation for National and Community Service—through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America programs—has mobilized a new generation of engaged citizens. This year, more than 1.6 million individuals of all ages and backgrounds will serve through those programs to help thousands of national and community nonprofit organizations, faith-based groups, schools, and local agencies meet local needs in education, the environment, public safety, homeland security, and other critical areas. National and community service programs work closely with traditional volunteer organizations to broaden, deepen, and strengthen the ability of America 's volunteers to contribute not only to their communities, but also to our nation.

RSVP - http://www.seniorcorps.org/joining/rsvp/

About Senior Corps
RSVP Program
RSVP (the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) is part of Senior Corps, a network of national service programs that provides older Americans the opportunity to apply their life experience to meeting community needs. RSVP volunteers serve in a diverse range of nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and faith-based groups. Among other activities, they mentor at-risk youth, organize neighborhood watch programs, test drinking water for contaminants, teach English to immigrants, and lend their business skills to community groups that provide critical social services. In fiscal year 2001, approximately 480,000 volunteers served an average of four hours a week at an estimated 65,000 local organizations.

Eligibility
RSVP is open to people age 55 and over. Partners/Operations Local organizations, both public and private, receive grants to sponsor and operate RSVP projects in their community. These projects recruit seniors to serve from a few hours a month to almost full time, though the average commitment is four hours a week. Most volunteers are paired with local community and faith based organizations that are already helping to meet community needs.

Volunteer Benefits
RSVP volunteers are not paid, but sponsoring organizations may reimburse them for some costs incurred during service. RSVP provides appropriate volunteer insurance coverage, and volunteers receive pre-service orientation and in-service training from the agency or organization where they are placed.

Budget
RSVP‘s fiscal year 2001 federal budget of $48.8 million was matched with $46.7 million contributed by states, local governments, and the private sector. Its fiscal year 2002 enacted budget is $54.9 million.

Senior Corps Network
RSVP is part of Senior Corps, which also includes the Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs. Senior Corps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, which also oversees AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America. Together, the programs of the Corporation engage more than 2 million Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to their communities each year.

FGP (foster grandparent program) - http://www.seniorcorps.org/joining/fgp/

About Senior Corps
Foster Grandparents Programs
The Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) is part of Senior Corps, a network of national service programs that provide older Americans the opportunity to put their life experiences to work for local communities. Foster Grandparents serve as mentors, tutors, and caregivers for at-risk children and youth with special needs through a variety of community organizations, including schools, hospitals, drug treatment facilities, correctional institutions, and Head Start and day-care centers. In fiscal year 2001 more than 30,000 Foster Grandparents tended to the needs of 275,000 young children and teenagers.

Eligibility
The Foster Grandparent Program is open to people age 60 and over with limited incomes. All applicants undergo a background check and a telephone interview, as well as pre-service and in-service training. Foster Grandparents serve 20 hours a week.

Partners/Operations
Local nonprofit organizations and public agencies receive grants to sponsor and operate local Foster Grandparent projects. Organizations that address the needs of abused and neglected children, troubled teens, young mothers, premature infants, and children with physical disabilities work with the local Foster Grandparent program to place and coordinate the services of the Foster Grandparent volunteers. These local partners are called volunteer stations. Volunteer stations include children‘s services agencies, child and youth-oriented charities, and faith based institutions.

Volunteer Benefits
For their service, Foster Grandparents receive $2.65 an hour (tax free), reimbursement for transportation, meals during service, annual physical examinations, and accident and liability insurance while on duty.

Budget
FGP‘s fiscal year 2001 federal budget of $98.8 million was matched with $40 million contributed by states, local governments, and the private sector. Its fiscal year 2002 enacted budget is $106.7 million.

Senior Corps Network
The Foster Grandparent program is part of Senior Corps, which also includes RSVP (the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) and the Senior Companion program. Senior Corps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, which also oversees AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America. Together, these programs engage more than 2 million Americans of all ages in service to their communities each year.

Senior Companion Program – http://www.seniorcorps.org/joining/scp/

The Senior Companion Program (SCP) is part of Senior Corps, a network of national service programs that provides older Americans with the opportunity to apply their life experiences to meeting community needs. Senior Companions serve one-on-one with the frail elderly and other homebound persons who have difficulty completing everyday tasks. They assist with grocery shopping, bill paying, and transportation to medical appointments, and they alert doctors and family members to potential problems. Senior Companions also provide short periods of relief to primary caregivers. Because of the program, thousands of citizens are able to live with dignity in their own homes. In fiscal year 2001, 15,500 Senior Companions tended to the needs of more than 61,000 adult clients.

Eligibility
The Senior Companion Program is open to healthy individuals age 60 and over with limited incomes. All applicants undergo a background check and a telephone interview, as well as pre-service and in-service training on such topics as Alzheimer‘s disease, diabetes, and issues related to mental health. Senior Companions serve 20 hours a week.

Partners/Operations
Local nonprofit organizations and public agencies receive grants to sponsor and operate Senior Companion projects. Community organizations that address the health needs of older persons work with the local SCP projects to place and coordinate the services of the SCP volunteers. These local partners – which include hospitals, Area Agencies on Aging, and home health groups – are called volunteer stations. The stations' professional staff identify individuals who need assistance and work with SCP projects to place them with Senior Companions.

Volunteer Benefits
For their service, Senior Companions receive $2.65 an hour (tax free), reimbursement for transportation, annual physical examinations, meals, and accident and liability insurance during service.

Budget
SCP‘s fiscal year 2001 federal budget of $40.4 million was matched with $27.3 million contributed by states, local governments, and the private sector. Its fiscal year 2002 enacted budget is $44.4 million.

Senior Corps Network
Senior Companions is part of Senior Corps, which also includes the Foster Grandparent and RSVP programs. Senior Corps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, which also oversees AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America. Together, the programs of the Corporation engage more than 2 million Americans of all ages in service to their communities each year.

AmeriCorps – www.americorps.org

Who We Are
AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs that engage more than 50,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment. AmeriCorps members serve through more than 2,100 nonprofits, public agencies, and faith-based organizations. They tutor and mentor youth, build affordable housing, teach computer skills, clean parks and streams, run after-school programs, and help communities respond to disasters. Created in 1993, AmeriCorps is part of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which also oversees Senior Corps and Learn and Serve America. Together these programs engage more than 2 million Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service each year.

Overview
Since 1994, more than 250,000 men and women have served in AmeriCorps, providing needed assistance to millions of Americans. AmeriCorps provides trained, dedicated people to help nonprofits accomplish more and make more effective use of volunteers. President Bush has asked AmeriCorps to expand its work in public safety, public health, and disaster relief to assist in homeland security. The President has also proposed expanding AmeriCorps as part of his USA Freedom Corps initiative. AmeriCorps is made up of three programs: AmeriCorps*State and National, AmeriCorps* VISTA , and AmeriCorps*NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps).

AmeriCorps*State and National
More than three-quarters of AmeriCorps grant funding goes to Governor-appointed State Commissions, which in turn distribute and monitor grants to local nonprofits and agencies. The other quarter goes to national nonprofits that operate in more than one state. The organizations receiving grants are responsible for recruiting, selecting, and supervising AmeriCorps members. AmeriCorps grantees include national groups like Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, and Boys and Girls Clubs, as well as many small faith-based and community organizations. Approximately 44,000 members served in AmeriCorps*State and National programs in fiscal year 2001.

AmeriCorps*VISTA For more than 40 years, AmeriCorps* VISTA members have been helping bring individuals and communities out of poverty. Members serve full-time for a year in nonprofits, public agencies and faith based groups throughout the country, working to fight illiteracy, improve health services, create businesses, increase housing opportunities, or bridge the digital divide. In fiscal 2001, approximately 6,000 AmeriCorps* VISTA members served in 1,200 local programs.

AmeriCorps*NCCC
AmeriCorps*NCCC is a 10-month, full-time residential program for men and women between the ages of 18 and 24. AmeriCorps*NCCC combines the best practices of civilian service with the best aspects of military service, including leadership and team building. Members serve in teams of 10 to 15 members. Priority is given to projects in public safety, public health, and disaster relief. Teams are based at one of five campuses across the country but are sent to work on short-term projects in neighboring states. In fiscal year 2001, 1,000 members served in AmeriCorps*NCCC.