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AmeriCorps VISTA - (435) 797-0633
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PSP Receives Grant to Support SeniorCorps RSVP Program

2/26/2016

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Local Logan Organization Receives Federal Grant to Support Senior Volunteer Service
Funding will support 150 Senior Corps RSVP volunteers at the Public School Partnership

Logan, Utah. – The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) announced that the Public School Partnership (PSP) will receive a Senior Corps RSVP grant of $51,750 to support 150 RSVP volunteers serving in Cache and Rich Counties. The grant and senior volunteers will be managed by the Public School Partnership, a nonprofit housed in Utah State University’s TEAL Department that currently hosts an AmeriCorps*VISTA program.
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RSVP volunteers will provide college and career readiness mentoring, offer companionship and social support for older adults, and deliver meals to seniors. In addition, RSVP volunteers will mentor elementary students to boost children’s social and emotional skills. The Public School Partnership will provide support and professional development opportunities for RSVP volunteers during their service as well as for the VISTA volunteers serving under the organization. 


“For generations, seniors have been making a powerful impact in their communities, and their service is more important now than ever,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that administers Senior Corps. “With so many people in need, senior volunteers are making a difference in the lives of children, veterans, elderly, and disaster survivors. Leading the way are nearly 270,000 Senior Corps volunteers. We congratulate Utah State University Center for the School of the Future for their strong application, and thank all Senior Corps volunteers for their dedication to service.”

According to last year’s Volunteering and Civic Life in America report by CNCS, more than  21, million older adults – nearly a quarter of those 55 and older – contributed more than 3.3 billion hours of service in their communities. Based on the Independent Sector's estimate of the average value of a volunteer hour, the yearly economic benefit of this service to the nation is valued at nearly $184 billion.

In Utah, more than 3,500 seniors contribute their time and talents in one of three Senior Corps Programs – Foster Grandparent Program, Senior Companions, and RSVP. Today, more than 2,700 RSVP volunteers serve in approximately 345 service locations across the state.
In addition to helping others, older volunteers are also helping themselves by living active, healthy lives through volunteering. A growing body of research points to mental and physical health benefits associated with volunteering, including lower mortality rates, increased strength and energy, decreased rates of depression, and fewer physical limitations.

RSVP is one of the largest volunteer networks for adults 55 and older and engages the skills, talents, and experience of volunteers to meet a wide range of community needs. RSVP volunteers across the country make an impact in their communities by helping seniors live independently in their homes, tutoring and mentoring at-risk youth, expanding economic opportunity for veterans and their families, and assisting in disaster recovery efforts in their communities.

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Senior Corps is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency for volunteering and service. CNCS engages millions of Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service each year through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, Social Innovation Fund, and Volunteer Generation Fund programs and leads President Obama’s call to service, United We Serve. For more information, visit nationalservice.gov.

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February Issue of the PSP Jotter

2/8/2016

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You can download this month's issue of our newsletter here.
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February VISTA Member Recognition Awards

2/8/2016

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Graciela Botello, CCE Outreach
The Above & Beyond Award
Gracie in the Center for Civic Engagement & Education Outreach office at USU has been busy putting the pieces in place for her new My Young Mother scholarship, a program that would provide tuition assistance and baby care supplies to a mother who is a senior in high school needing help getting started in college. Gracie coordinated a fundraising gala titled Smile on Your Sister that featured local food, live music, an art auction, and children’s activities for attendees. She has also worked with the Cache Valley Unitarian Universalists and Bridgerland Applied Technology College to secure monetary donations or the scholarship fund that will be used for tuition and to offset childcare costs. As part of our MLK Day service project in January, Gracie helped to spread the word about the food and baby care supply drive to schools throughout the Cache County and Logan districts. As a result, over 3,000 baby care items were donated, all of which will be given the recipient of the My Young Mother scholarship. Applications for the scholarship have been distributed to local high schools and a beneficiary will be chosen for next academic year. This has been a huge undertaking for Gracie, but the end result is awesome!

​Dawna Webb,
​Mountain Crest High School

The Perseverance Award

​Dawna's positive attitude, realism, and optimism is something we can all learn from when we are faced with adversity. Dawna is exceptionally good at recognizing when aspects of a program can be improved or a problem needs a more efficient solution, and is not hesitant to see these through until their completion. When presented with a challenge she always takes the time to sit down, consider the positives and negatives for each option, and decide on the best course of action. Dawna thinks very practically, but is also enthusiastic and proactive when it comes to problem solving and motivating people around her to consider alternate solutions. Keep up the great work Dawna!
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Melissa Yardley,
Cedar Ridge Middle School

The Good Role Model Award

​Melissa is a great asset at Cedar Ridge. She has helped implement many programs and has done a great job running the school’s New Student Group, a support program that helps students new to Cedar Ridge cope with the stress and anxiety that can take place when transitioning into a new school environment. She also planned the school’s Mental Health Week and encouraged students to participate in the Stand for Courage student club by standing up, stepping in, and speaking out against bullying. She takes on many different responsibilities and is always willing to support students, making her an excellent role model for them. Thanks for setting such a great example Melissa!

​Jasmine Despain, 
Bridger Elementary Schoo
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Outstanding Outcomes Award

For January reporting Jasmine recorded over $1,800 in in-kind donations! These donations came mostly from Cache Valley grocery stores and benefited several programs at Bridger. One of these programs is the Food Backpack program, which sends food home with students who may be struggling with hunger. Another program that benefited from the donations Jasmine collected was the Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) Literacy Night, a social event where fathers of students can come to read to their children and sign up to volunteer in the school. Jasmine also recruited 8 new volunteers in January who have served a total of over 40 hours so far. Additionally she implemented 3 student services at Bridger last month! Great work, Jasmine!
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Public & School Partnership
(435) 797-0633
​AmeriCorps VISTA - pspvista.ut@gmail.com
Senior & Community Volunteers Program - rodney.pack@usu.edu
6505 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322-6505