Steinhaus Supports Senior Volunteer Programs

Poughkeepsie… County Executive William R. Steinhaus has announced the signing of an agreement for $25,000 with the Dutchess County Association for Senior Citizens to support their VIT (Volunteers in Transition) Program. Funding for this program is directed through the Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development.

Through continued support from the County’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, the Dutchess County Association for Senior Citizens has been able to expand the VIT program, which allows seniors who are hampered by disability and a lack of transportation to continue to lead meaningful lives through the following programs:

Project C.A.R.E. (Contacting Adult Residential Elderly) - This program helps mentally and physically challenged elderly, as well as frail and isolated seniors, by enabling them to take part in meaningful volunteer activities. VIT staff members bring programs to senior housing sites and nursing homes, where seniors work on arts and crafts projects, bulk mailings and other projects for non-profit agencies serving the community.

Community Outreach - VIT staff and high functioning senior volunteers visit senior housing sites and nursing homes to provide a social, one-on-one interaction between residents and volunteers. Seniors participate in community service projects and take part in other recreational activities.

Sincerely Yours - This is a collaborative pen pal program with Literacy Volunteers of Dutchess County. Sincerely Yours involves local school districts and the Astor Connections Program. Seniors are matched with youth to build a relationship and to improve literacy skills for the children through letter writing.

Fellowship and New Hope Programs - Seniors are transported from their housing sites to a weekly meeting place to work on volunteer projects. Most seniors who attend are either physically or mentally challenged. Afterward, program seniors join together to eat lunch, socialize and/or go for rides or on shopping trips.

Home Workers - This program allows homebound seniors to volunteer. VIT staff provides and delivers supplies to seniors who knit clothing, blankets, stuffed animals and other handmade items that are then donated to outreach agencies for distribution in the community.

Between Friends - This is a telephone reassurance project in which phone calls are made from the homes of the participants to seniors who live alone, and are frail and/or isolated.

According to County Executive Steinhaus, ”The VIT programs’ benefits are two-fold: they help to alleviate the isolation and loneliness of these older persons by offering them volunteer opportunities, and in turn their volunteer support helps many non-profit agencies that contribute to the community.”

For more information about the VIT Program, call Barbara Adams at the Dutchess County Association for Senior Citizens at (845) 473-1674.

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2002 Press Releases