By Katherine Parker

Senior Corps volunteering improves health, community engagement 

America’s older adult population faces a variety of challenges as they age, including social isolation and associated health concerns like depression. Senior Corps not only serves this population through our Senior Companion and Foster Grandparent programs but also makes it possible for older adults to give back to their communities. A recently released independent report by the Corporation for National and Community Service reveals the impact of this service – seniors who volunteer are healthier and happier.  

More than 80 percent of volunteers surveyed reported feeling healthier and feel less socially isolated after serving in Senior Corps. Older adults are more likely to face physical, financial, or social barriers to volunteering, but Senior Corps provides opportunities that accommodate these concerns and makes it possible for seniors to reengage as active community members.

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By Deborah Cox-Roush, Director, Senior Corps 

Join CNCS as we celebrate Older Americans Month

Community leader, mentor, disaster responder, tutor, patient advocate – these are just a few terms I am proud to use to describe Senior Corps volunteers. Tailored to adults age 55 and over, our Senior Corps Foster Grandparent, Senior Companion, and RSVP volunteer programs include more than 200,000 seniors nationwide who engage in volunteer activities that support critical community services that improve the quality of life for all generations. Now, as we enter May and Older Americans Month, I am delighted to report that while our volunteers are helping others, they are also improving their own health.  

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By Katherine Parker

April is a big month for those who give their time to serve; it is National Volunteer Month and National Volunteer Week from April 7-13. The Corporation for National and Community Service encourages all Americans to see this celebration of service as an invitation to connect with their community and lend a helping hand. If you are interested in volunteering but aren’t sure where to start, now is the perfect time to learn a bit more and join the fun.

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Bipartisan Leaders Call National Service ‘America’s Best-Kept Secret’

By Sandy Scott, CNCS Senior Advisor

National service was in the house and on the agenda Wednesday as the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service released findings from its interim report to an audience of nearly 200 leaders from the national service, military, and public sectors.

Launched in 2018, the bipartisan Commission was tasked to holistically and comprehensively review the Selective Service System and recommend policies to strengthen the ethic of service and increase service opportunities in America. 

During the last year, the Commissioners visited 24 cities in 15 states, and met with more than 300 organizations to listen and learn about ways to encourage and inspire more Americans to serve. 

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At the end of December, we like to look back over the last 12 months to get  some perspective on the last year in national service. Take a few minutes and join us as we remember 2018 at the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Barbara Stewart Named CEO of CNCS

Barbara Stewart (pictured above) became the new CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) after her nomination by President Donald Trump and unanimous confirmation by the U.S. Senate on Feb. 7, 2018. With more than 25 years of experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, Stewart hit the ground running at CNCS with her strong management skills, operations experience, and passion for service.

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By Greg Tucker

We continue a Corporation for National and Community Service holiday tradition of sharing our remix of Clement Clarke Moore’s poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (commonly known as “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”). We hope you enjoy this salute to our national service programs and volunteers.

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The holiday season moves quickly, transitioning from friends-and-family time at Thanksgiving to the hustle and bustle of the holiday shopping season on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. However, we have the chance to remember the needs of others on Giving Tuesday.

Giving Tuesday began in 2012 on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving to elevate philanthropy and volunteering during the holiday season. This event is a fitting celebration for a country filled with generous people.

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Friends of the National World War II Memorial paid tribute to the more than 16 million men and women who served with the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II at a special Veterans Day event at the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

World War II veteran Ewing H. Miller (pictured above right) delivered the ceremony’s keynote address. Miller served in the U.S. Army Air Force from 1942 to 1945 as a B-24 heavy bomber pilot assigned to the 15th Air Force, 719 Squadron (The Flying Horsemen), which flew from a base in Italy. Nicknamed “Wing” by his fellow flyers, Miller flew more than 20 missions during the war. In February 1945, Miller’s plane was downed by a direct flack burst in the bomb bay, and he was the sole survivor. He spent the rest of the war as a POW.

Just one month after celebrating his 95th birthday and braving Sunday’s chilly weather to attend the event, Miller says he participates in the ceremonies at the World War II Memorial as a way to honor his lost crew members and friends. 

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Navy Admiral Asks Americans to Pause and Reflect on Those Who Protected Our Freedom

By (Ret.) U.S. Navy Admiral Earl L. Gay, CNCS Senior Advisor for Wounded Warriors, Veterans, and Military Family Initiatives

Each year on Veterans Day, we stop to pay tribute to all the brave women and men of the military, and their families who have made – and continue to make – selfless sacrifices in service to America. As a Navy veteran, I am guided by the pride armed forces veterans feel for our nation and send a special salute to the veterans who have chosen to serve again through national service programs.

At the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), we believe that one of the simplest ways to support America’s communities is through the power of people who are willing to give their time to make things better. The list of challenges our nation faces and neighbors who can use our help is long, but if we have the will to face them head on, we can change lives for the better.

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Join Senior Corps and Support National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

By Deborah Cox-Roush, Director of Senior Corps

The prescription opioid crisis has become too big to ignore, stretching across the nation and affecting families in rural communities, small towns, and big cities. If we intend to stop this epidemic, all of us will have to get involved, and Senior Corps is doing its part by bringing attention to National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 27.

An analysis by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that chronic pain is common among seniors, with 8-in-10 struggling with multiple health conditions. Nearly 20 percent of seniors, roughly 20 million people, were prescribed an opioid between 2015 and 2016. In 2015, opioid-related complications caused nearly 125,000 hospitalizations, including more than 36,000 emergency department visits in this age group.

Battling the opioid epidemic is a priority of the Trump administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that leads Senior Corps, is a proud partner in this fight.

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By Barbara Stewart 
CEO, Corporation for National and Community Service

Volunteering has been a part of the nation’s fabric even before the United States declared its independence 242 years ago. In the spirit of that ethic of service, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is proud to uphold the tradition of volunteering to keep America strong and make it a better place for all people. 

At CNCS, we are guided by a simple mission: to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. This year 300,000 AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers – ranging from teenagers to centenarians and every age in between – are giving their time and energy to address some of the nation’s greatest challenges. 

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It’s a busy Tuesday evening in February at Federal Hill House (FHH) in Providence, Rhode Island with several clients waiting to have their taxes prepared. Clients have come to trust and rely on the free tax preparation service offered by the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA). The VITA program offers free tax help to people who make $54,000 or less, persons with disabilities, and limited English speaking taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. IRS-certified volunteers provide free income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals.

Senior Corps RSVP volunteers are a critical part of the program and assist clients by greeting them, preparing and reviewing their tax returns, helping them fill out and understand their tax forms, explaining the tax credits for which they may or may not qualify, and making referrals to programs in the community. The Senior Corps RSVP volunteers are recruited by Federal Hill House to serve throughout Providence.

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By Mei Cobb, Director of Volunteer & Employee Engagement,
United Way Worldwide

Giving back to others isn’t just good for the community—it’s good for your health, too. In fact, volunteering at any age improves your physical and mental health exponentially. Not only do volunteers have lower mortality rates and less depression, but when you volunteer later in life, it contributes to living longer and can even decrease the risk of dementia. By volunteering just two hours a week, older adults can reduce early level disability.

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“Foster Grandparent”
by Senior Corps volunteer Juanita Davis

Each day when I awake
I know the road I’m taking
To fulfill my needs and others
And the difference I am making.
I rush off to see the children
And start an interesting day.
I’ll listen with my heart and mind
To all they have to say.
They show appreciation
With a hug and so much more.
This fills my life with happiness
What else could I ask for?
I know I make a difference
And it makes my life worthwhile
To be a Foster Grandparent
To a very special child.

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