Retired & Senior Volunteer Program of the Central Coast
San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara Co., California

RSVP matches the skills, experience  and interests of adults, aged 55+, with opportunities for high impact community service at over 300 nonprofit and public agencies. Not only does this service creatively utilize the experience and expertise of active, mature retirees, but it also serves as a means to sustain the health and welfare of the growing senior population.

  Nearly 1500 Central Coast seniors contribute about 250,000 hours annually, a $4 million value based on the average, nonagricultural wage. RSVP has operated in this area for 31 years.

 Over 190 RSVP volunteers helped serve and deliver over 265,000 meals annually at eleven senior nutrition sites throughout the region This service permits hundreds of seniors to maintain their independence and provides a social support network for many others.

About 130 RSVP volunteers assist police and sheriffs' departments throughout the county. They conduct citizen patrols and vacant house checks, operate Live Scan fingerprint systems and manage found property rooms, assist with traffic control and provide information to the public. This permits officers to concentrate on crime, reduces response time, and enhances citizens' perceptions of public safety.

RSVP volunteers work with Red Cross and Salvation Army to help the community cope with emergencies and care for the needy. RSVP volunteers also assist at schools as tutors and mentors, at parks and museums helping rangers or serving as docents, at hospitals, shelters, food banks, libraries, Chambers of Commerce and nonprofit organizations.

America is experiencing a new developmental age where seniors remain active and independent for decades past retirement. Prestigious studies, including Harvard and Mayo Clinic, find a link between volunteering and healthy aging. Volunteering creates stronger social networks, increases physical activity, promotes optimistic outlook, and lowers mortality rates. A 2003 University of Michigan study found that by doing good for others, a senior does even more good for himself.