The Corporation’s annual Volunteering in America report found that 63.4 million Americans volunteered through a formal organization last year, giving more than 8.1 billion hours of volunteer service worth an estimated $169 billion.

The Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Alexian Brothers Senior Neighbors has a membership of more than 324 active volunteers over the age of 55. These senior volunteers helped the Chattanooga reach an average of 45 hours per resident - ranking them 17th within the 75 mid-size cities listed in the report.

Compared to the city, state and national volunteer rankings, Chattanooga’s RSVP volunteers donate well above the average amount of volunteer time. Collectively, RSVP volunteers gave 69,056 hours of their time in 2009. That’s an average of 213 hours per person for the year, compared to the reported Chattanooga volunteer average of 45 hours. Independent Sector Research estimates the monetary value of the hours served by RSVP volunteers to be $1,439,833 for 2009.

RSVP volunteers serve in 66 different jobs at 38 non-profit organizations in the Chattanooga area. As non-profits have seen a decrease in monetary resources, their reliance on volunteers has grown. Often times, non-profit agencies have become better at incorporating volunteers’ skills in what have traditionally been employee roles. Utilizing volunteers to their full potential helps the agencies and retains the interests of the volunteers.

In the most recent Chattanooga RSVP volunteer survey, respondents listed factors that motivate them to volunteer. According to Colleen Combs, RSVP director, “two of the top motivations for volunteering are the desire to help people and the opportunity to make a difference.”

For more information on volunteerism in the Chattanooga area and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, please call Colleen Combs at (423) 668-2141.

­­­­­­­­­­­­More about the Alexian Brothers Senior Neighbors Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP):

Alexian Brothers Senior Neighbors Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) volunteers have donated more than 1,000 hours a week over the past year to 38 different non-profit groups in the Chattanooga area. And those volunteer hours amount to over a million dollars of assistance to our community! The time and talents of Senior Neighbors RSVP volunteers are critical to the mission of the organizations in which they volunteer and vital to the Chattanooga area.

RSVP volunteers receive the following benefits:

• Free membership for volunteers age 55 and older
• On-the-job training from the agency or organization where they are placed
• Several recognition events each year
• Supplemental accident insurance while on duty
• Limited reimbursement of mileage and meals for those in financial need
• Discount on Senior Neighbors annual membership fee

More information on Senior Neighbors, an Alexian Brothers ministry:

Senior Neighbors, one of the ten area Alexian Brothers ministries, was founded nearly 50 years ago in Chattanooga by Ginny Power. Designed to help seniors in our area age successfully, Senior Neighbors provides vocational, social, mental, spiritual and physical opportunities for seniors at four community centers. Membership to Senior Neighbors is just $25 a year and includes the following programs and events:     

• 3 Senior Centers in downtown Chattanooga and 1 in Soddy Daisy with activities Monday through Friday of each week
• The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) which places senior volunteers with non-profit agencies in the Chattanooga area
• The Chattanooga District Senior Olympics  
• The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) which places qualifying older adults in paid temporary community service positions with local non-profit agencies and government organizations 
• Computer, ballroom dance, yoga, gardening and Tai Chi classes
• Monthly men’s luncheon featuring a different speaker each month
• Day and overnight bus trips
• Scenic City Chorale and Senior Neighbors Orchestra
• Health and wellness screenings
• Foreign language and art clubs
• Free Lunch and Learn events

More information on Alexian Brothers Senior Ministries:

For nearly 800 years, the Alexian Brothers have served and cared for others. The same beliefs that inspired the founders of this ministry sustain its organization today. The Alexian Brothers mission is put into action by the commitment to promote the physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being of all individuals served through their ten local ministries. Through this commitment, Alexian Brothers Senior Ministries has come to be recognized as the area’s leading innovator in the coordination and delivery of comprehensive services to older adults.

Alexian Brothers Senior Ministries operates in Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, and has ten Chattanooga, Tennessee ministries, which include: Alexian Village of Tennessee, Alexian Grove, Alexian Brothers Live At Home Program, Lone Oak Free Health and Dental Clinic, Alexian Inn, Alexian Brothers Valley Residence, Alexian Village Health and Rehabilitation Center, Alexian Brothers PACE Program, Alexian Brothers Senior Neighbors and Alexian Brothers Home Care.

For more information on Alexian Brothers Senior Ministries, please call (423) 755-6100 or visit www.AlexianBrothers.net.