WHAT A GREAT PARTY!

Yesterday (May 20th), I participated in the annual luncheon promoted by SVS - Seniors Volunteers Service, an organization I work for as a volunteer. I want to share some information about this organization with you all, because I felt so moved yesterday listening to the accomplishments of SVS, and to some very touching testimonies that managed to bring tears to so many eyes. Some statistics presented were very scary; for example, 15,000 school-age children in Broward face the situation that one of his/her parent is presently incarcerated. Also, it may further encourage us, the volunteers of BM, to keep our hard work to the benefit of so many families and individuals.

SVS has several wonderful programs, and counted on the help of 1,004 volunteers last year. Their key programs are:

• Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) --- under this program, SVS matches the interest of volunteers with nonprofit organizations seeking assistance. Last year, 698 volunteers provided 79,640 hours of service working with 70 organizations;
• Foster Grandparent Program --- volunteers provide support and service to children and youth with special needs in a variety of settings (tutoring, mentoring, nurturing, and such). 205 Volunteers contributed with nearly 145,000 hours working with 3,690 children last year.  
• Dropout Prevention Program ---  volunteers from the Foster Grandparent Program (above) help children in danger of academic failure in elementary and middle schools.
• Senior Companion Program --- Volunteers provide in-home, supportive, individualized services to home bound, frail elderly and adults with disabilities. Volunteers help their clients maintain their dignity and independence. Last year, 101 volunteers helped 473 elderly and home bound adults, involving 78,067 hours of work.
• Respite for Caregivers --- a program that provides in-home respite by senior companions to relieve caregivers of older adults.
• Executive Senior Corps of Broward -- a program that utilizes retired executives to help nonprofit organizations improve its effectiveness and efficiency.

SVS is not a religious type organization, and its budget is not as big as you might think. However, a limited number of born-to-help employees make all this happen. 

Thank God, for SVS and many other organizations of this type that are there to work on the first and most important of the Divine's Laws.

Gilberto
May 21th, 2011