Green Mountain RSVP is an AmeriCorps Seniors program that matches people aged 55 and older with volunteer opportunities in Bennington, Windham, and Windsor Counties.
AmeriCorps Seniors bring out the best of America
The AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program pairs thousands of Americans aged 55 and older with non-profit organizations making a change in communities across the country.
AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers who serve in the Green Mountain RSVP program choose how, where, and when they want to serve. Volunteers can find many opportunities with community partners.
Green Mountain RSVP AmeriCorps Seniors
2023-2024 GMRSVP Volunteer Impact
201 Green Mountain RSVP volunteers aged 55 and older in Bennington, Windham and Windsor counties performed a total of 23,269 hours of volunteer service in the 2024 program year (April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024).
The two largest areas of volunteer service were Community Priorities (5,954 hours of service by 122 volunteers) and Peer Led Exercise (5,628 hours of service by 86 volunteers). Some volunteers serve in more than one activity, so the total number of volunteers performing these activities (334) includes duplicates.
Community Priorities includes volunteer service in areas such as making Sunshine Cards, knitting for the community, registering donors at American Red Cross blood drives and assisting non-profit organizations such as animal shelters, museums and libraries.
Peer Led Exercise includes GM RSVP Bone Builder Classes, chair yoga, and tai chi. All of these classes are led by GM RSVP volunteers, aged 55 and older, and all the attendees are 55 and older. These are active older Americans!
Food Pantry Support includes picking up and processing wholesale deliveries of perishable and shelf-stable food, stocking shelves, distributing food to community members at food pantries and also providing home delivery.
Meal Delivery is the volunteer service of picking up prepared hot meals at central locations and delivering weekly (one or more day per week) to a set number of homebound seniors, sometimes on bumpy, winding dirt roads, year-round.
Tax Aide, VITA is the intensive volunteer service provided between December and April to help households prepare and submit their personal income taxes with AARP.
Companionship includes home visits and checking in by phone. Some companions take people in the community to medical appointments or on errands. The limited public transportation in Southern Vermont makes these visitors a crucial link between homebound seniors and the rest of the world.
Green Mountain RSVP Staff
Wanda Jones, Bennington County Coordinator
Wanda has lived in Bennington for 30+ years and has been involved in many community activities. She enjoys reading books and is committed to supporting volunteers.
Contact Wanda at gmrsvp.benningtonco@svcoa.net or 802-772-7838
Erica Walch, Program Director & Windham County Coordinator
Erica has coordinated non-profit programs in Massachusetts and Vermont prior to joining GMRSVP. She enjoys learning about the many ways senior volunteers are actively impacting their communities and loves going to peer-led exercises classes, such as Bone Builders.
Contact Erica at ewalch@svcoa.net or 802-772-7875
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