Older Helping Younger Virginians

Senior Corps Programs

  • Foster Grandparents serve one-on-one as tutors and mentors to more than 4,300 young people who have special needs
  • Senior Companions help more than 460 homebound seniors and other adults maintain independence in their own homes. 

  • RSVP volunteers conduct safety patrols for local police departments, protect the environment, tutor and mentor youth, respond to natural disasters, and provide other services through more than 1,500 groups across Virginia.(CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL & COMMUNITY SERVICE, 2009)

Corporation for National & Community Service 
Virginia At-A-Glance

 
Senior CorpsProjectsParticipants
Foster Grandparent Program5449
Retired and Senior Volunteer Program219,378
Senior Companion Program3225
Senior Corps Total2910,052

(CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL                  

 & COMMUNITY SERVICE, 2009)

How the U.S. Is Doing

  • Americans over the age of 65 volunteer more time, an average of 96 hours per year, than any other segment of the population and are often the most reliable and committed volunteers. (GENERATIONS UNITED FACT SHEET, 2007)
  • The estimated dollar value of the volunteer time of older adults through volunteer activities and time spent caring for family members in 2000 was equivalent to 239 billion dollars. (GENERATIONS UNITED FACT SHEET, 2007)
  • Thirty-five percent of older adults reported working with children and youth as their favorite volunteer activity. (GENERATIONS UNITED FACT SHEET, 2007)

On grandparenting and that intergenerational connection, a report byGrandparentMarketing.com demonstrates that when they experience the joy of unconditional love within the grandparent grandchild relationship, adults become more altruistic, philanthropic and service-oriented in their communities. Such is the transformative power of grandparenthood.

 

Grandparent/Grandchild Activities

 







ATTRIBUTION Older Dominion Partnership Age Wave Preparedness  Center


Civic and Community Engagement

Why It's Important

Civic & Community Engagement provide opportunities for older adults to participate in unpaid services and activities within a wide range of settings. These activities provide a positive impact in the community and in the life of the individual.


How Virginia Is Doing?

On average, Virginia's 1.6 million volunteers dedicated 233.2 million hours of service per year (between 2005 and 2007). The estimated economic contribution of the volunteer hours served is $4.5 billion annually. (CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL & COMMUNITY SERVICE, 2009)

  • Volunteer Rate Ranking: 29th within the 50 states and Washington D.C.
  • Average Volunteer Rate: 28.3 percent
  • Volunteer Hours Ranking: 23rd within the 50 states and Washington D.C.
  • Average Volunteer Hours per Resident: 40.1 hours

Total number of volunteers, Virginia

(CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL & COMMUNITY SERVICE, 2009) 

Percentage of Population that Volunteers, Virginia

(CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL & COMMUNITY SERVICE, 2009)

Total number of volunteer hours contributed by residents, Virginia

(CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL & COMMUNITY SERVICE, 2009)

Areas of Volunteerism by residents, Virginia

(CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL & COMMUNITY SERVICE, 2009)(AARP, MORE TO GIVE, 2008)ATTRIBUTION Older Dominion Partnership Age Wave Preparedness  Center 

Data & Information Sources not cited herein