RSVP Volunteers

History:

Founded in 1973, RSVP utilizes a growing corps of dedicated volunteers to meet the evolving needs of vulnerable community members throughout the Greater Delaware Valley. Volunteers freely offer their skills and time to provide tutoring, counseling, and training to disadvantaged preschool students and their families, at-risk children and youth, low-income and isolated elderly, those with low literacy and STEM skills, seniors needing clarification with health insurance, and nonprofits needing capacity-building assistance.

Mission:

RSVP improves the lives of vulnerable populations in local communities by focusing on education and wellness and by supporting nonprofits through skill-based volunteer programs.

Vision:

Empowering volunteers to improve the education and wellness of vulnerable populations.

What we do:

For nearly 50 years, RSVP has been responding to our community’s needs by crafting responsive and innovative programming to meet the needs of students and their families, adults, and seniors as well as nonprofit organizations. All programs share one common thread: they utilize volunteers to make a difference.

To address the disruption of direct program delivery during the pandemic, RSVP adapted in-person coaching and tutoring sessions to include a virtual component so that students would still have access to tutors and motivational career presentations, nonprofit organizations met remotely with volunteers to assist with their growth strategies, seniors were counseled on their Medicare options remotely, with interruption.

To help bridge the digital inequity faced by adults and seniors, RSVP created the Digital Technology Training program to provide direct online instruction covering internet safety, email, use of web browsers, apps for smartphones, and a Zoom user’s guide.

Programs now offer in-person or virtual options.