RSVP - Ojai Valley
Ventura County, California

RETIRED AND SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM (RSVP) WORK STATIONS

1.  Caring Neighbors/Hospice

                 Volunteers are trained to deal with the terminally ill and give bereavement counseling.  Caring Neighbor volunteers visit the lonely and shut-ins, assist with shopping, etc.

2.  Chit-Chat Group/Ojai Villa Mobile Home Estates

             Volunteers meet to repair and dress old dolls and other toys.  They knit hats for premature babies and make clothes for needy children.

3.  Family to Family

              Volunteers prepare food at the meal site where they feed approximately 200 men, women and children every Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and approximately 40–60 on Sunday mornings.

4.  Faith In Action

          Volunteers help coordinate caregiver's training and community outreach, setting up   training course.  Hours vary to assignment.

5.  Group Against Graffiti (GAG)

              Volunteers remove any graffiti that is reported on the Hot Line that is located in the Little House office.  They also work with the Ventura County Sheriff’s office in removing reported graffiti and testifying in court as to the cost of the removal.

6.  HELP of Ojai, Inc.

              Volunteers assist with typing, clerical duties, telephones, organize and run programs, teach various classes, assemble mailings, etc.

7.  HELP of Ojai, Inc. Community Assistance Program (CAP)

               Volunteers work in all areas of the Community Assistance Program, office, food pantry, mentoring, tutoring, planning and implementing fund-raising.

8.  HELP of Ojai, Inc. – Oak View Senior Services

              Volunteers will assist Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. answering phones and filing.  Services are provided to the residents of Oak View and the surrounding unincorporated areas.  “Brown Bag”, a collaboration with Food Share to provide bags of groceries once a week to low income seniors once a week.  Volunteers prepare the bags each Friday morning and deliver them.

9.  HELP of Ojai, Inc. 55 Alive/Instructors

              Volunteers assist with scheduling defensive driving classes, teaching classes, publicity and processing certificates.

10.  HELP of Ojai, Inc./Utilities/Cashiers & Bookkeepers

              Volunteers work at Little House and accept and process payments for the utility bills that come in.

11.  Hot Meals for Seniors – Ojai

               Volunteers assist with preparation of the noon meal at Little House, also help with serving and clean up.

12.  Krotona Book Store

               Volunteers act as sales people for this non-profit bookstore.

13.  Krotona Library

              Volunteers take care of checking in and out of books, filing and basic library         duties.

14.  Laubach Literacy

               Volunteers are trained by Laubach to teach reading to non-English speaking citizens of our community.

15.  Little House Activities/Classes

               Volunteers organize and implement programs and activities held at the senior multipurpose center.

16.  Meals on Wheels/Drivers & Packers

               Volunteers assist with the preparation, packaging and delivering of meals to shut-ins.

17.  Meiners Oaks Elementary School

              Volunteers assist teachers and students in the classroom.  Volunteers work on various special projects concerning their occupations and hobbies.

18.  Mira Monte Elementary School

              Volunteers assist teachers and students in the classroom.  Volunteers work on various special projects concerning their occupations and hobbies.

19.  National Disaster Search Dog Foundation

              Volunteers are trained on their five line phone system, help with large and small mailings, assisting with event preparation, copying, filing, filling merchandise orders (t-shirts, etc.) and packaging for mailing, internet searches and research, daily Post Office drop and pick-up at the Letter Lobby.  Volunteers need to know that dogs are in the office and they have free reign.

20.  Ojai Community Chorus

              Volunteers help with parking, tickets and mailings.  They also usher and act as         security guards.

21.  Ojai Festivals

               Volunteers work in the office performing clerical duties, process the newsletter, are involved in fund-raising and community outreach.

22.  Ojai Hospital Auxiliary

               Volunteers assist with patient comfort, deliver food trays and mail, man information desk and operate the gift shop.

23.  Ojai Hospital Skilled Nursing Unit

             Volunteers visit, write letters and read for the patients.  Also help provide entertainment and give assistance with grooming for handicapped patients.

24.  Ojai Independence Day Committee

                  Volunteers organize the Ojai Valley 4^th of July festivities, the local parade, all the events of the day and the concert in the evening with the traditional fireworks.

25.  Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center

               Volunteers work in the office answering phones, filing, greeting visitors and answering their questions.  Volunteers work 3 hour shifts during the week and weekends.

26.  Ojai Valley Family Shelter

         Volunteers from RSVP assist volunteers from local churches in providing shelter for the homeless from Dec.1 through March 31.  Other services include food distribution, laundry and showers.

27.  Ojai Valley Library Friends & Foundation

         Volunteers assist with book repair, filing, checking in and out books, fund raising and maintaining the books for the homebound program.  Volunteers also work in the used book store as cashiers, shelve and price books.

28.  Ojai Valley Museum/Docent, Gift Shop, Displays

         Volunteers serve as docents, work on displays and in the gift shop and collect data on displays.

29.  P. B.& J. (People Bonding and Joining)

                  Volunteers work one on one with high school students in the kitchen learning and preparing gourmet meals.  They use their new skills to cater special events.  The course is held after school in the spring and fall.

30.  Red Cross

         Volunteers respond to community needs in times of emergency.  Volunteers provide CPR and Red Cross training.

31.  Retired Business Men’s Club

         Volunteers gather news, write articles for newsletter, other volunteers type and prepare for mailing.  Club members volunteer for community outreach services.

32.  Retired and Senior Volunteer Program

         Volunteers serve in many areas with the varied activities at the Senior Center, acting as office receptionists, helping with programs, special events, classes, telephone calls, etc.

33.  Rolling Readers / Meiners Oaks Elementary School/for 2^nd & 3^rdgrades

         Volunteers work with 2^nd and 3^rd graders with enhancing their reading skills.  The children are in the Rolling Readers program until they are confident with their reading skills and are able to read books that are at their grade level.

34.  Salvation Army/Kettle Campaign

         Volunteers assist with distribution of Christmas packages to nursing and convalescent homes.  Volunteers assist with the Salvation Army Kettle Program during the Holiday Season.

35.  SchooLinks, after school homework help at local libraries

         Volunteers work with children at the after school homework centers located at each library in the Ojai Valley.  

36.  Second HELPings Thrift Store/Cashiers, Sorters, Etc.

         Volunteers manage and operate this thrift store-they collect, wash and iron, sort,   repair, price and display merchandise and take care of sales.

37.  Senior Day Support Center/Oak Tree House

         Trained volunteers assist staff members with answering phones, other office duties, working with clients in assisting them at mealtime, with arts and crafts, games, exercises, walks, etc.

38.  St. Joseph’s Convalescent Hospital

          Volunteers assist staff with bed making, feeding patients, visiting patients and other    services for their comfort.

39.  Topa Topa Elementary School

          Volunteers assist teachers and students in the classroom.  Volunteers work on various special projects concerning their occupations and hobbies.

40.  Transportation/Vans

          Volunteers drive and supervise the maintenance of five mini-buses that transport   seniors and handicapped persons on a dial-a-ride basis in the Ojai Valley.

41.  Transportation/Private Car/Out of the Ojai Valley

         Volunteers use their own vehicles to transport people to necessary appointments outside the Ojai Valley.  They stay right with the client and return them to their homes.

42.  Twice Sold Tales

               Volunteers work in the used bookstore as cashiers, sorting books, shelving and cleaning books.  3 hour shifts are available for volunteers 7 days a week.

43.  Volunteer Security Patrol, Oak View Resource Center

          Volunteers are trained to assist law enforcement with vacation house checks, finger printing children, bicycle safety program, establishing Neighborhood Watch Programs and other special local events.  Volunteers also man the Oak View Resource Center (OVRC) store front.

44.  Volunteer Tax Assistance Program/Training Provided

          Volunteers receive training and instruction from the Franchise Tax Board and the IRS to assist people with income tax forms, rental and homeowner’s credit and tax rebates.

Info 2:

Senior Corps taps the skills, talents, and experience of more than half a million Americans age 55 and older to meet community needs in education, the environment, public safety, homeland security, and other areas. Senior Corps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, which also oversees AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America.