Every year, around 5,000 RSVP volunteers dedicate approximately 350,000 hours of their time to serve in Iowa. This volunteer service translates to an investment of almost $8 million in the State of Iowa.

There are diverse service opportunities available to volunteers, including tutoring and mentoring youth, assisting with meal delivery and food pantries, raising produce for food banks through community gardens, and providing tax and financial services to lower-income families.

RSVP makes change happen in our community by listening to the challenges people care about the most in education, income, and health and working together to develop effective strategies to address these challenges.

We then turn these strategies into concrete actions in which people can invest their time and expertise. We keep everyone informed by reporting back, listening to feedback, and continuously gaining knowledge about our community.

Each year, thousands of older Iowans contribute hundreds of thousands of service hours through RSVP. As a volunteer, you’ll:

Support critical programs like tutoring, food pantries, meal delivery, community gardens, and tax assistance

Choose how, when, and where you want to serve

Gain new skills and social connections

Improve your health—studies show older volunteers live longer and report higher well-being

Receive supplemental volunteer insurance while serving

Be recognized and celebrated for your impact

Together, RSVP volunteers are helping to improve education, income stability, and health across Southeast Iowa.

As a volunteer with RSVP, you have a rare opportunity to:

• Leverage your skills and experience to enhance your community

• Boost your health - research shows that older volunteers tend to live longer!

• Develop new social connections with fellow volunteers

• Get additional volunteer insurance coverage while you serve

• Stay engaged with your community and keep contributing

• Receive recognition for your service

• Acquire new skills

• Decide on the amount of time and location of your volunteering

To join, you must be 55 or older and live in Monroe, Wapello, or Jefferson County.

Steps to Enroll:

Contact your local RSVP office (see below) to request an application

Complete and sign the form

Return it by email to uwwc@wapellocouw.org, or mail it or drop it off at any of our three offices.