RSVP shares volunteers with nonprofits
UPPER MERION » Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, multi-service nonprofit agency RSVP announced that it was prepared to share its base of 1,200 volunteers with other nonprofits who may be in need of a helping hand during the crisis.
Since then, RSVP has responded to emerging priorities by recruiting and screening more than 200 motivated new volunteers 18 and older to deliver meals, groceries or medications to isolated seniors and staff food pantries. These volunteers have been referred to 18 area nonprofits directly responding to the needs of their communities.
Norm Jordan, food manager at the Chester Eastside Foodbank, told RSVP administrators, “I want to thank you for sending Deb and Mike to Chester Eastside to assist with our food distribution today. They were a tremendous blessing. Each one pitched in without hesitation, warmly greeted our guests and readily assisted with helping them to access their food. I have expressed our thanks to both Deb and Mike and, should their time permit, I have indicated that they are invited to assist us whenever they are available.”
RSVP also recently formed a partnership with United Way of Greater Philadelphia
and Southern New Jersey, to launch Vello, a new Virtual Reading Program for first through fourthgrade students.
Students who are home from school and have access to home computers are waiting for a reading partner.
“This is more important than ever,” noted executive director Michele Moll.
“Gov. Wolf has mandated that schools remain closed for the rest of the year. Students will need all the support and guidance they can get in order to stay on grade level with reading.”
This innovative program pairs a volunteer with a student with assistance from the teacher to practice reading skills by accessing an ebook library. Thirty- minute sessions provide another opportunity to break the isolation felt by so many and keep students on track. Sessions are slated to begin during the week of April 20 and volunteers are needed.
To meet the growing need during the coronavirus crisis, RSVP had partnered with Montgomery County Health and Human Services to coordinate all of the volunteer efforts during this crisis.
“On the www.montcopa. org/2783/Health-and-Human-Services you just click on the ‘volunteers’ button and it brings you right to the RSVP site and you can sign up and see where the most pressing needs are right now,” Moll explained. “All volunteers that reach out to them are being sent to us to be registered, and then we can send them to any nonprofit that needs them the most. Normally throughout the year, we have about 150 nonprofit partners we work with to support their volunteer needs, including Meals On Wheels. Those are the agencies that we have been reaching out to personally to see what their ongoing needs are, and now we are bringing in other nonprofit partners that we wouldn’t even have had as partners and we’re offering that to them as well. Right now, food is number one, and wellness checks for seniors is another area that is going to be a priority.”
RSVP’s Volunteer Impact Programs focus on the needs of vulnerable populations (such as disadvantaged preschool children, atrisk youth, the elderly, those with low literacy skills and veterans) and by providing support to regional nonprofit organizations. RSVP is continually recruiting additional volunteers to participate in outreach programs that serve our area.
Communications manager Tina Weaver added, “The goal is to keep recruiting volunteers as needs continue to grow and to pay tribute to the good will created because of their efforts. We are actively recruiting for the virtual programs which will be picking up beginning next week.”
For more information, visit www.rsvpmc.org,