Seniors making a difference through RSVP
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Jay'ceon Miller and Lilliaunna Yeager, third-graders at East Garfield Elementary School, agree that Billie Jo Hibbits is a great tutor. The two believe they have improved their math skills, having been tutored by Hibbits in arithmetic since October.
Miller said he appreciates how Hibbits gives them treats, either toys or candy, as an incentive and reward for the students, who might miss out on school activities because of tutoring, to work hard. The tutoring sessions also allow the students to get their homework done in school, freeing up their evenings.
Hibbits' case is one example of the impact possible through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, one of the largest volunteer networks in the nation for seniors.
RSVP is a service program that connects seniors with volunteer opportunities suited to their talents. Under the nonprofit Family and Community Services Inc. -- itself part of the seniors branch of the federal volunteerism agency, Americorps -- the program services 15 Ohio counties.
Marti Leake is the program coordinator for Columbiana and Jefferson counties, the latter of which had 67 active volunteers as of 2022. Her role is to host recruitment events, manage new enrollments and make placements at different "stations," or partnered organizations, including nonprofits, schools and health institutions.
To participate in the program, Leake said, individuals must be "55 or better" but do not necessarily need to be retired. There is no age cap, Leake said, noting that Jefferson County's oldest volunteer is older than 90, serves at a food pantry and can "work circles around all of us."
The current station list consists of the Cancer Dietary Initiative, Historic Fort Steuben, Urban Mission Ministries, Southern Care Hospice, Pugliese West Elementary School, East Garfield Elementary School, Smithfield Food Pantry, Sycamore Youth Center, Trinity Health System, the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of Jefferson County, the Mingo Junction Senior Center and the Salvation Army of Steubenville.
Where a volunteer is placed depends on the person's skills or talents, Leake said. She conducts an initial interview to determine the individual's strong suits and desires and uses that information to make a placement, though it may take one or two placements to find the perfect match. If a person has a particular talent that doesn't fit with the current stations, Leake will try to find one that does.
Once site-dependent background checks are completed, volunteers can begin helping their organizations -- Leake noted that Jefferson County's volunteers worked 16,427 hours in 2022, with a minimum of one hour per year needed to remain active and eligible. Since stations don't pay the volunteers, Leake said, those service hours saved the locations more than $500,000 in personnel expenses.
Additional benefits for RSVP participants include mileage reimbursement for volunteers who work transportation services, built-in schedule flexibility, recognition at events and activities, giveaway items and supplemental insurance at no cost. Leake said the program comes at no cost to either participants or stations, with the program funded 70 percent by Americorps Seniors and 30 percent from other grants.
Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of RSVP, Leake said, is the "network of friends" that seniors build. Leake herself has put in some volunteer hours, serving at the Lisbon Historical Society, and she values the social ties she's gained with other volunteers and with agencies throughout her two counties.
It was through the program that Leake, who started as coordinator in November 2019, became acquainted with Hibbits, who enrolled in October 2018. Since then, the two have developed a friendship, bonding over similarities, such as their husbands having the same jobs in different counties. Leake noted that Hibbits will help her with recruitment events as well.
Hibbits, who still works part-time in retail, was introduced to RSVP through a recruitment event at the Prime Time senior center. She began by volunteering at Pugliese West, tutoring math and reading to second- and third-graders -- she racked up 56 tutoring hours during the 2022-2023 school year. In mid-2023, she transferred to East Garfield, where she tutors math and spelling to third-graders twice a week.
In addition to volunteering at Southern Care Hospice since 2021, Hibbits tutors as many as five East Garfield students, distributing to them some treats, given to her by the "very friendly" school staff. Leake said students are chosen by their instructors for tutoring if they need extra academic help.
Hibbits recalled a particular girl who she worked with during her first years at Pugliese West. In 2022, Hibbits helped the girl with her times tables. The girl's improvement was significant enough that she placed in the top 16 of a bracketed times tables competition, which Hibbits said made the girl "so happy."
To Hibbits, seeing children grow is the best part about volunteering.
"I enjoy working with the kids, seeing them progress throughout the year and doing better than when I first had them," she said. "You can see how they improved."
Leake stays in contact with each station's supervisor, the designated contact who handles intake for volunteers and tracks their hours. When checking with Hibbits' supervisor, Leake said, the news is always positive.
"With Billie, I have never heard anything but amazing things about the work she does and the impact that she is making with the children. She does a wonderful job."
Jennifer Blackburn, instructional coach at East Garfield, said of Hibbits: "We see improvement in our students that work with her, and they enjoy their time with her, too. She makes connections with them, she buys them treats and stuff for the holidays, and she's building really good relationships with the students, and they work hard for her."
To gauge the volunteers' impact, RSVP conducts annual surveys at its stations, in addition to satisfaction surveys with the volunteers themselves. From April through December, 1,494 individuals were surveyed, Leake said, and 1,474 of them reported that their needs were met by volunteers.
RSVP's service work is good for the community and for the individuals, Leake said. A study by Americorps Seniors claimed that 88 percent of seniors who volunteered reported stable or improving health conditions, and 78 percent reported fewer symptoms of depression. Leake recalled a 98-year-old woman who volunteered at a hospital front desk up until the COVID-19 pandemic -- a testament to the vitality volunteering can bring for some.
Leake said the program makes a "valuable" difference in the community, and she would love to see it expanded. Hopefully, this year will see additional recruitment fairs to bring more seniors on board.
"I think (the program) is very rewarding," Leake said. "I love what I do. I love the social connections I build with volunteers, and I enjoy seeing them fulfilled in what they do."
Interested individuals can inquire about RSVP by e-mailing mleake@fcsserves.org or calling (330) 424-7877, extension 1. Information about the program can be found at rsvp.fcsserves.org.