Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)

Benefits of becoming a volunteer with RSVP

• Personalized Matching: With over three decades of experience, the RSVP team is here to help you find the right opportunity for your passions, skills, interests and schedule to serve your community
• Volunteer Insurance: While volunteering through RSVP, you will receive additional accident medical coverage and automobile liability insurance
• Recognition: We believe in celebrating all that our volunteers invest in the community, and we recognize your efforts through the annual Spirit of New Hampshire Awards, special events and more
• RSVP Communications: Stay up to date on all the latest volunteer opportunities, events, training opportunities and more through our newsletters and website

Benefits of utilizing RSVP to fill your volunteer opportunities

• Personalized Recruitment: We will work closely with you throughout the process from developing volunteer position descriptions and recruitment efforts through proper placements and addressing any issues or concerns that may arise
• Volunteer Appreciation: Give your volunteers the appreciation they deserve for all they invest in the community by recognizing them through our annual luncheons, newsletter mentions and more
• Volunteer Insurance: Feel at ease knowing that all RSVP volunteers placed at your location are covered through free supplemental insurance
• RSVP Communications: Each quarter you will receive the RSVP newsletter informing you of upcoming events and celebrating volunteers from different RSVP stations

RSVP has volunteer opportunities in a variety of roles and serving all aspects of our local communities from children to adults and seniors. To get an idea about some of the opportunities that may be available to you, take a look at some of our most recognizable volunteer programs: Bone Builders, Healthy Habits for Adults, Fixit Corps and Thresholds & Decisions.

Bone Builders

Strengthening seniors one class at a time

Movement is important at all ages, and in fact the National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends engaging in muscle-strengthening exercise even if you already have osteoporosis. Bone Builders is a professionally-designed consistent exercise program to build and maintain bone density. Led by RSVP volunteers, these programs help prevent falls and fractures by strengthening bones and muscles while improving balance, coordination and flexibility.

Bone Builders was developed in 1996 by a team of exercise specialists from Tufts University and has been tested and used extensively and successfully by hundreds of older adults.

Bone Builders classes are FREE to all senior participants and each class consists of a warm-up, balance work, strength-training and a cool down. The class is offered once or twice per week at locations in the community such as senior centers and senior housing faculties. In order to join a class, participants must obtain clearance from their physician.

Healthy Habits for Adults

Making good health easier to achieve

Healthy Habits for Adults workshops are free hour-long sessions that offer delicious, nutritious snacks participants can make at home. Each class includes a healthy snack, nutrition lesson, interactive learning activities, recipes and handouts.

Workshops are led by trained RSVP volunteers and teach practical tips to stay on track with healthy eating. Since its launch in September 2014, almost 7,000 older adults have participated in Healthy Habits for Adults workshops.

Sample Healthy Habits for Adults workshops include:

• Salt - Taste Bud Thriller or Silent Killer/The Importance of Staying Hydrated
• Stay Regular - Enjoy the Power of Fiber in your Diet
• Protein - The Body’s own Superman
• Limited Sugar in your Diet - Sugar Detox 101
• Diabetes Education
• Eating the Rainbow - Love your Fruits & Veggies
• Reducing Fat in your Diet - Fat, the Good, the Bad & the Ugly
• Dairy - Calcium & Vitamin D Superstars

Fixit Corps

Allowing seniors to stay safe and secure at home

RSVP Fixit Corps provides minor home maintenance and repairs to address safety and security issues for seniors 60 years or older and disabled citizens. Those seeking services must own their own home and have the ability to purchase the supplies needed for the repair. The labor is provided free of charge by qualified volunteers who have experience in the construction trades or general maintenance and provide the skills necessary to complete the repairs.

Fixit volunteers enjoy flexibility and freedom to choose which jobs match their talents. Fixit volunteers accept jobs that fit their schedule and skill set and are in geographic areas to which they are willing to travel.

After accepting a job Fixit Corps Volunteers become the “project manager” and work directly with the client to set up a time and date to meet the client and work on the request.

Thresholds & Decisions

Standing on the threshold of changing someone’s life

Thresholds is a unique program where volunteers meet with individuals currently involved with the New Hampshire criminal justice system to teach better decision-making skills. This critical thinking and decision-making course has a 25 year history in the Northeast.

Sessions are led by trained RSVP volunteers and equips participants with critical thinking and decision-making skills so that they can make successful life choices.

Participants are screened for participation in the program by RSVP staff in cooperation with the Hillsborough Department of Corrections. Each participant attends 12 weekly group sessions taught by Thresholds classroom teachers. Program participants also meet one-on-one with their assigned trained volunteer counselor once a week to discuss and reinforce the material discussed in that week’s group session.

Volunteers commit to meeting with program participants for one hour per week for a 12-week session. Training and materials are provided to all volunteers prior to the start of new session. Ongoing training, support, and materials to teach the program are provided to volunteers by RSVP staff.

RSVP is a part of AmeriCorps Seniors, a federal agency that improves lives, strengthens communities and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering with a network of national service programs for Americans 55 years and older.