Washington, DC – The Senate has passed a bipartisan resolution introduced by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) declaring May 15 through May 19, 2017, National Senior Corps Week in recognition of the valuable contributions of the more than 250,000 senior volunteers across the country.
“This resolution celebrates the hundreds of thousands of seniors who have dedicated their golden years to making our nation a better place,” said Whitehouse, who serves on the Senate Special Committee on Aging. “The community benefits from seniors’ valuable contributions when they get involved, and the personal connections seniors make can help them stay healthy and productive. We need to continue to invest in programs like Senior Corps that pay enormous dividends for the entire community.”
“Senior Corp volunteers give back to our communities, making a positive, personal impact on many,” said Dr. Cassidy. “We thank them, recognizing the good they do.”
In 2016, Senior Corps volunteers dedicated 75 million hours of service at more than 28,000 nonprofit, educational, and faith-based organizations nationwide. Corps volunteers help communities recover from natural and manmade disasters, provide nutrition services, mentor and tutor schoolchildren, support veterans and military families, and provide relief for caregivers. In turn, volunteering helps keep seniors healthy and engaged in the community.
Senior Corps, which includes the RSVP, Foster Grandparent, and Senior Companions programs, is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service. More than 3,700 Senior Corps volunteers serve in Rhode Island. A listing of Senior Corps organizations in Rhode Island is available here.
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