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Dear RSVP Volunteers,
All of us at RSVP want you to know how much we miss you and hope that you and your families are healthy, safe and happy. We are always here if you need any help or support.
As many of you know, RSVP is one of the largest volunteer networks in the nation for people over 55. RSVP Suffolk is one of over 750 programs nationwide under the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). I want to share with you a letter from Barbara Stewart the Chief Executive Officer of CNCS. It is so important today that you realize how much you mean to our community. We truly appreciate how much you give back, and we love working with you to find volunteer opportunities that you will cherish and that enable you to use your skills and creative thinking to help so many others.
Many of you have shared with us that you would like to return to your volunteer stations. We will work closely with you to make that happen. As we hear from our partners and sites, we will reach out to you to guide you through the next steps. If you have any information or updates from your stations which we may not be aware of, please share them with us. We will work together to get everyone back safely at the right time.
We are continuing to run our Health Insurance Information Counseling Assistance Program (HIICAP) at libraries and delivering our Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) virtually on Zoom. Our Telephone Reassurance Program continues to grow and has been calling all of our clients throughout the pandemic. Please reach out to us if you or anyone you know needs any information or is interested in our programs.
I wish I could say “see you all soon at Tribute Day” but as you read on, you will understand that we have to make different plans this year. You should all be celebrated all year long, and we will celebrate again together as soon as we can do so safely.
Thank you for all of your service and support. You are truly amazing, and all of us at RSVP are so proud to work with you.
Sincerely,
Maryflorence Brennan
Executive Director
RSVP Suffolk
Our Mission Has Never Been More Important
Dear Friends,
I hope this message finds you safe and well. These last few weeks, we as a service community, as family members, as individuals, as Americans, have been faced with what feels like an unending journey of crisis. We are disturbed by the scenes of injustice and violence taking place in communities across the country, even as we continue to grapple with the devastating impacts of coronavirus.
And whether the outrage at scenes of brutality or the ramifications of a pandemic, they impact us all. I cannot pretend to adequately understand how each of you may be affected.
I do know that you have chosen to be a part of the national service community for a reason. The work that you do is centered on bringing people together in common purpose, to help make our fellow citizens’ lives better, fairer, and to heal and build opportunities in all communities.
There has never been a greater need for us to do what we do. At a time when we may feel desperate to have an impact for good, your work makes a difference. It makes a difference to communities and individuals all across this country. You build bridges, you bring people together, you connect those who may need a helping hand to those who are eager to offer it, you break down barriers and bring cultures together. It is the work of healing; it is the work of recovery; and, it is the work that can continue to be a unifier as we move forward.
Now more than ever it is time to reach out to our fellow citizens to comfort, to offer condolences, or to listen to a voice that needs to be heard. Thank you for your commitment and for your service to country and community. And thank you for your passion to serve which will continue to make a meaningful difference every single day.
Warmest regards,
Barbara Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Corporation for National and Community Service
