Carson City-based RSVP senior outreach program hit hard by pandemic, in need of volunteers

A Carson City-based outreach program that aids in helping seniors living on their own in 15 Nevada rural counties has been hit especially hard with COVID restrictions, with major fundraising efforts having temporarily stalled.

The Nevada Rural Counties Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, also known as RSVP, was established in Carson City as a self-sponsored non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation in 1973 as satellite rural county organization of the Washoe County RSVP.

With three months under her belt, CEO Molly Walt — who took the reins from Susan Haas in November — has remained steadfast in the organization’s mission, despite challenges of the pandemic.

Walt and her team are planning a fun run to substitute normal fundraising events, along with the return of the Fourth of July carnival held in Mills Park. Volunteerism is also vital within the organization and has stalled over the past year because of the pandemic.

The program’s mission aims to “provide lifesaving volunteer programs that help seniors maintain their dignity, self-respect & independence.” Currently, the program serves 15 out of 17 counties in Nevada and is a part of Senior Corps, with partial funding under the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Known for her previous position on the Nevada Commission for Women, Walt has been multifaceted in the community since her arrival in 1994. With a masters degree in Leadership and Supervision, Walt began her career in education.

Walt’s community engagement resume' includes service as regional commissioner for the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), president of Pinkerton Ballet Theatre, and a four-year seat on the Carson City Board of Supervisors.

“I was successful at bringing volunteers to the youth organizations that I have participated in,” Walt said. “Now I hope to collaborate with the several different partners within each community to bring volunteerism to this organization.”

Walt said the mission of the organization brought her to RSVP, as well as the need for volunteers. She cites the late Janice Ayres, who led RSVP for 35 years, in her devotion to the organization.

“Janice is a legend,” Walt said. “She built this program and was extremely passionate about the clients in which she served. I would hope to continue (that mission).”

According to Walt, there is an increasingly large need for the programs within RSVP. Clients of the organization rely on these services, especially clients in rural areas.

“I do know that I am very service-oriented,” Walt said. “The age of the clientele is passionate to me. I just want to help.”

Like many other organizations, RSVP has hit a bump in the road at the start of the pandemic last spring. Walt said the biggest hit to their operation was the lack of volunteerism.

“Our organization is seniors helping seniors,” Walt said, “so when your seniors are the ones at high risk with COVID, it keeps them from helping other seniors.”

RSVP offers services like grocery shopping, housekeeping, and prescription pick-up. Volunteers doing errands are now limited to only one client in their vehicle at a time to coincide with social distancing guidelines, not to mention the lengthy rural area drive time.

“A senior (normally) would be able to call and say (they have an appointment),” Walt said. “Our drivers would be able to go pick up several different clients and be able to get them to their appointments. Now we’re at an eight day waitlist because we are limited with our volunteer drivers who can only take one client in a van or even in their own vehicle.”

RSVP was granted the first round of the Small Business Association (SBA) loan to help lighten any financial burden, but unfortunately does not qualify for the second round of funding, according to Walt.

Additionally, the organization typically coordinates three community fairs in any normal year. In 2020, all fairs were cancelled and subsequent fundraising along with them. The Mothers Day fair this year has been cancelled, due to capacity restrictions.

The Fourth of July celebration, complete with fireworks, is a go. Planning for the community event is already in the works, according to Walt.

“We’re hoping it can be 100 percent capacity,” Walt said. “The person who supplies the carnival rides, he’s on board, the pyrotech is on board. Everybody is ready to go.”

In the meantime, RSVP will be holding a virtual 5k/10k run, walk, jog called “Steppin’ Up For Seniors.” The event will circulate online for the entire month of April, which happens to be Volunteer Appreciation Month. More information can be found on their website here.

“To celebrate our volunteers, we’re doing 'Steppin’ Up For Seniors,'” Walt said. “Those virtual runs can go nation-wide, but this is a fundraiser we can hopefully kind of capture our rural counties as well where we provide a lot of services for them.”

With volunteerism being the biggest blow RSVP has taken in the last year, current volunteers are urgently needed to fit the high demands of new clientele. According to Walt, Carson City has a waitlist of 80 seniors in need of services.

“You don’t just go into a client’s home and clean their house without providing companionship as well,” Walt said. “With that, the volunteers are taking another hour to just talk with the clients because of the loneliness and isolation. Now because they’re high risk, they stay at home and they’re lonely.”

Volunteers must be 25 years of age and are given a small stipend as incentive from RSVP for their work. Each applicant is evaluated through a background check before authorization.

Those interested in volunteering can find out more information here.

Seniors without internet access may call RSVP at 775-687-4680 for a copy of the application to be sent via mail.