RSVP of Boone County

Sponsored by the Boone County Council on Aging, a United Way agency

Community literacy is one focus area of the RSVP of Boone County volunteers. Our RSVP volunteers participate in programs promoting readiness with preschool age students, promoting mastery with elementary and middle school age students, and promoting competency with high school age students and adults. Our intergenerational pen pal program partners seniors with area third grade students to promote the love of reading and the improvement of writing skills. Our volunteers also participate in reading and tutoring programs at area preschools and elementary schools and tutor and mentor in ESL and GED programs.
 

 

In the realm of homeland security, RSVP volunteers provide service through neighborhood watches, citizens' patrols, park patrols and participation in area disaster preparedness events as well as volunteering at local hospitals and area blood drives. RSVP volunteers reinforce our hospitals' missions to provide comforting service and healing care to their patients and family members of those patients. Our volunteers serve at all five local hospitals volunteering thousands of hours and, in effect, dollars worth of service each year. Our volunteers give of their time and life experiences to work side by side with healthcare professionals thereby expanding the workforce available to serve patients and their families, a critical need during times of crisis and during these times of budgetary cuts where each institution struggles to do more for the community and its surrounding area with fewer resources.
 

 

Many Boone County agencies need volunteers to staff activities that are vital to sustaining the high quality of life that characterizes Columbia and the surrounding area. The contributions of time and talent by RSVP volunteers are essential to citizens of Boone County. RSVP volunteers  gather, sort, package and distribute food to families visiting the Food Bank and Food Pantry. RSVP volunteers assist with mailings for the United Way, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Alzheimer's Association, and local radio station KOPN. Volunteers greet visitors to Columbia at the City of Columbia Visitor Center and help staff events such as the Senior Games, Special Olympics, Summer Arts Festival, and many other such events drawing visitors to Columbia.

 

 

RSVP of Boone County works with its sponsoring agency, the Boone County Council on Aging, and numerous additional local agencies to support senior independence in Boone County. Volunteers provide telephone reassurance, respite for caregivers, transportation to medical appointments, yard maintenance, home repair, friendly visits, and grocery or meal delivery.  In addition, RSVP has partnered with several area independent living, assisted living and nursing home facilities to provide outlets for their residents to remain connected to the community once they've opted to give up their homes in favor of multi-unit housing.
 

 

Literacy

Community Support

Homeland Security

Senior Independence

Impact Areas