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January 2009

Looking Back On Another Memorable Year…

At the close of another year, I would like to share the successes of RSVP volunteers in our community during 2008.  We are pleased to report that 666 RSVP volunteers were actively serving throughout the Lubbock community.  I can only supply you with information for the first 11 months of the year, but our monthly reports show that approximately 110,000 hours were served during this time.  The market value of all the services performed by RSVP volunteers in 2008 translates into an estimated value of over $2.1 million.  RSVP volunteers serve in 70 non-profit organizations and public agencies throughout our community.  RSVP volunteers have a huge impact on our community, and we thank you so much for your service.  You willingly respond to the needs of our community, you expertly lead with experience and you graciously extend your compassion to your fellow citizens.  You are very special people.  Thank you.

Volunteer Opportunities:

CCAV:  Coalition of Community Assistance Volunteers’ VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program assists low-income residents of the South Plains.  The program provides free income tax preparation and e-filing services which, in turn, enable low-income persons to receive all the tax refunds to which they are entitled while ensuring that their income tax returns are filed properly.  CCAV/VITA also promotes workshops that educate tax refund recipients to invest their refunds in ways that will prove more beneficial to them, ie., home ownership, small businesses, higher education, etc.  Volunteers are trained by CCAV and the IRS and enjoy protections under state and federal Volunteer Protection Acts.  Volunteers may serve either as “tax preparers” who are trained to enter taxpayer data into a user-friendly computer program, or as “greeters” who welcome the VITA clients.  Training for “tax preparers” is scheduled for January 7th and 8th from 5:30 – 9:30pm and January 10th or 17th from 9am – 3pm in the Texas Tech Business Administration Building, or volunteers may train online.  Training for “greeters” is scheduled for January 6th from 5:30 – 7pm at the Lubbock Housing Finance Corporation offices, 3212 Ave. Q.  Free tax preparation and e-filing services will be available to eligible taxpayers at various times every Monday – Thursday between January 20 and April 15 in Lubbock’s Depot District.  If you are interested in this volunteer opportunity, please call CCAV at 687-2228.  If you did not volunteer last year and wish to do so this year, please contact the RSVP office at 743-7787, and we will send you a Volunteer Commitment Form. 

AARP is seeking interested folks to serve as Advocacy Volunteers.  The Advocacy Volunteer – Congressional District works as a team member to organize, engage and activate volunteers and members within a Congressional District to advance the Association’s strategic legislative priorities.  As an AARP Advocate, volunteers and staff will educate and promote priority legislative issues beneficial to members and society.  Advocacy volunteers may work with other elected officials.  Responsibilities include attending AARP trainings concerning legislative issues; attending candidate forums, town hall meetings and other community events to speak on behalf of AARP legislative issues, writing, calling or emailing your Member of Congress as requested by state office staff; monitoring local news regarding legislative issues and keeping state office staff informed; writing or signing letters (drafted by state office staff) to the editor in local newspapers responding to AARP’s legislative issues; meeting with Members of Congress in their Congressional District offices regarding AARP’s legislative issues; visiting the Capitol as requested to meet with local lawmakers regarding AARP’s legislative issues; supporting AARP advocacy activities in the community that may be initiated at the local, state and/or national levels; maintaining regular communication with the regional Advocacy Volunteer and Staff Partner; and developing an Advocacy Network.

To volunteer, or for more information about these or other volunteer positions, please call the RSVP office at 743-7787.

HOW do I join RSVP?

Becoming a member of RSVP is simple as long as you are at least 55 and have some time to volunteer. Just call the office at 743-77873 and chat with Karon McDowell about your interests. If you are not certain what you would like to do, we can mention several current volunteer opportunities and send you a list of the sort of jobs which RSVP members are presently doing to whet your appetite. If you have a special skill or talent that you would like to utilize, we will search to find just the right job for you. Just mail in the enrollment form (requires Adobe Reader) and we will call you!