Skylands RSVP & Volunteer Resource Center

Background

Skylands RSVP & Volunteer Resource Center is a comprehensive community service organization designed to mobilize members of the community in giving back to their own neighborhoods through volunteer service.  We currently cover the counties of Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Sussex and Warren.

RSVP is a federally funded program of the Corporation for National & Community Service whose mission is to provide opportunity for individuals 55 years of age and older to provide volunteer service in their community.  It has over 500,000 members nationwide.

The Volunteer Resource Center portion of our name refers to our affiliation with the HandsOn Network.  The HandsOn Network is a national framework of over 250 action centers that work to mobilize volunteers all across America.

Results

Over the last decade, our volunteers have provided over 750,000 hours of service to local government and community organizations.  This volunteer service is valued at over $15 Million by the Independent Sector (a Washington, DC based coalition of non-profits and foundations).

We currently have over 1,000 dedicated volunteers matched with roughly 240 community partners to provide services ranging from mentoring children to delivering meals to homebound residents.

Information for the Volunteer

For the potential volunteer, Skylands RSVP & Volunteer Resource Center provides a single location where they can review a number of local volunteer opportunities and receive the help of a trained Volunteer Coordinator.  This assistance will ensure that the volunteer is placed in a position that matches their skills, desired time commitment and interests.

Skylands RSVP & Volunteer Resource Center has numerous volunteer opportunities available throughout our service area.  Each volunteer opportunity is different; requiring different skills, level of commitment, and training. 

A few examples of some of the opportunities available are:

·         Mentor to children and/or adults

·         Lead an exercise or health education course

·         Deliver meals to homebound residents

·         Provide tax or Medicare counseling

·         Support programs that allow independent living

Click here to see a complete list of our volunteer opportunities  

If you find any of these opportunities are of interest call 1-888-387-9830 or fill out an online application.

Information for Community Partners

For our Partner Agencies, Skylands RSVP & Volunteer Resource Center provides the manpower to do active volunteer recruitment in the community while also providing the initial screening and matching of potential volunteers.  Trained staff members also offer training and seminars in all areas of volunteer management and volunteer program development.

Benefits of using Skylands RSVP & Volunteer Resource Center to help recruit volunteers for your agency include:

• Additional recognition opportunities for your volunteers
• Listing on all of our recruitment websites
• Spotlight in our weekly E-news updates
• Feature in our Quarterly Newsletter
• Access to training and development material
• Insurance coverage for your volunteer

Our Programs

In addition to placing volunteers at organizations throughout the Skylands Region of New Jersey, Skylands RSVP & Volunteer Resource Center also runs a number of programs that provide various benefits to our residents.

In Warren County we receive a contract from the Division of Aging & Disability Services to manage a number of volunteer driven programs designed to allow our senior and disabled residents to maintain independent living where they would otherwise be faced with the possibility of having to enter some level of assisted living.  This valuable service is made possible through use of funding from the Older Americans Act and other county funding.

The programs include services such as:

·         Friendly Visitation

·         Money Management Services

·         Telephone Reassurance Calls

·         Medical Appointment Transportation

·         Chore Corps Services

·         And more…

Skylands RSVP & Volunteer Resource Center has also become a recognized leader in providing Evidence Based Health Programs to our local communities.  These programs use volunteer peer leaders to offer exercise and health education courses which target specific conditions or ailments. 

These courses cover topics such as:

·         Osteoporosis

·         Chronic Disease Self Management

·         Managing the Fear of Falling

·         Diabetes Self Management

·         Increasing Mobility

·         And more…

Finally, Skylands RSVP & Volunteer Resource Center has taken a leading role in the expansion of “Break the Cycle.”  This program, modeled after the Amachi Mentoring Program, uses volunteers to reach out to the children of incarcerated parents.  These volunteers aim to provide a stable and secure role model to each child and prevent them from sharing the fate of their parents.

If you would like to become a partner of Skylands RSVP & Volunteer Resource Center, please call 1-888-387-9830 or email rsvp@norwescap.org