For over a year, Northeast Iowa RSVP has been matching the skills and interests of volunteers who are 55 and better with local partners to positively impact communities in Clayton and northern Fayette counties.
“Our goal is to meet critical community needs. Whatever we can do to be a really good partner and help build up the community,” explained director Deana Hageman.
Northeast Iowa RSVP is part of the federal AmeriCorps Seniors and sponsored locally by the Decorah Public Library, which also serves Howard, Winneshiek, Allamakee and Chickasaw counties.
With Hageman’s support, Linda Jones is RSVP Coordinator for Clayton and northern Fayette, and works out of an office at 205B S. Main St., in Elkader.
“We started in May of last year, Linda was hired in September of last year and we’ve had our office open since September. The community response overall has been great,” according to Hageman.
Northeast Iowa RSVP volunteers serve at “stations” with organizational partners, and help those groups carry out their missions.
“If the stations can do more, the community receives more,” Hageman said.
Volunteers have supported everything from helping to ensure food security, completing tax returns, sorting and stocking donations, sharing fraud prevention information and volunteering with youth or the aged population.
“We have a variety of opportunities,” said Hageman. “One of the things that was popular last year was our tax program. We have a team of volunteers who complete taxes for free, for people who qualify. Another primary focus area is food security. So we have volunteers at food pantries, and we’d like to get volunteers helping with the backpack programs. And we do Fraud Fighters. That has been very popular, and we are trying to do that as much as possible to raise awareness for people.”
Additionally, volunteers support one-time community events, like selling lefse at Nordic Fest in Decorah or helping with Alzheimer’s or suicide awareness walks.
“People love those because, if they’re free, they can help. It’s not a long term commitment,” Hageman commented.
Other RSVP volunteers serve as pen pals. Currently, around 200 volunteers write to over 300 students from nine area schools. They exchange letters either three times per semester or four times throughout the school year.
The program helps students learn how to write a letter, address an envelope and have written conversations.
“The exciting thing that happened this last year is we got letters from third graders completely in cursive. Our volunteers were so excited about that,” Hageman said.
Some of the intergenerational exchanges are fun.
For example, one volunteer told her student pen pal how she attended country school as a third grader. The student wrote back, “Just how old are you?”
“It wasn’t that long ago that we had country schools. So kids get to learn a lot about someone they don’t know,” Hageman said. “There’s also been cool stories afterward where a student has seen their adult pen pal and said, ‘Will you come to my piano recital?’ Lots of neat connections get made.”
Once they complete their cycle of letters, the pen pals meet one another at a celebration.
Along with writing, Northeast Iowa RSVP is focusing on reading readiness as well. Hageman said “book buddies” will read at area Head Starts and preschools starting this year.
“We’ll go in and read a book. Two weeks later, we’ll go back in and read the same book and test them, like, ‘Who remembers what the dog’s name is? Who remembers what comes next? Where are they going?’ To see how much they paid attention,” she explained. “After we’ve read that book the second time, we’re going to give every child a book. So getting books in homes.”
A lot of what Northeast Iowa RSVP does is based on what people need, Hageman noted.
“If a program has plenty of volunteers, then they don’t necessarily need us. But if they’re trying to get more volunteers, then that’s where we come in. We’re kind of the manpower of volunteer services. Our goal is to connect people who are looking for things to do with something they’re passionate about. It gives them purpose, gives them opportunities to meet new people and continue to expand their skill set or use the skills and knowledge they’ve spent their life gathering,” she shared. “The beauty about our program is they get to decide when, where, how and how often and what they’re volunteering in. So there’s no pressure. Our role really is to connect them with something they’re passionate about.”
There’s no cost to participate and volunteers are covered with insurance while they are volunteering—a benefit some small organizations may otherwise be unable to afford.
Hageman said more partner organizations and volunteers are always welcome.
“We’re still working on letting people know that the program is in this area and what the opportunities are,” she added.
Connect with Northeast Iowa RSVP at one of their community events or find them online at www.decorahlibrary.org/rsvp or on Facebook at “Northeast Iowa RSVP.” Find Jones at the Elkader office, or contact her at 563-277-5188 or rsvp3@decorahlibrary.org.
