BRATTLEBORO — Each year for many years, Green Mountain RSVP (GMRSVP) has sponsored a food drive on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, honoring the civil rights leader on a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.
With the current pandemic, GMRSVP wanted a safer activity and pivoted, addressing social isolation by participating in the MLK Day of Service Sunshine Project.
More than 135 volunteers, working remotely, brightened the day of many older Vermonters by filling postcards with kind words, colorful drawings, and bright stickers. With the participation of 26 agencies, more than 2,500 postcards are being shared with Meals on Wheels delivered to isolated seniors throughout Bennington, Windham, Windsor, and Rutland counties.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has been isolating for all,” Cathy Aliberti, GMRSVP program director, said in a news release. “We miss daily human interactions and are grateful for phone calls, letters, and emails we receive. We wanted to send cheerful notes from caring volunteers to brighten the day of individuals who are isolated.”
Green Mountain RSVP, an AmeriCorps Seniors program, is sponsored by Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging. AmeriCorps, a Federal agency, brings people together to tackle the country's pressing challenges through National Service. AmeriCorps Seniors are people age 55 and older who volunteer with organizations dedicated to the improvement of community.
For more information on volunteering in your community, visit rsvpvt.org, or email [email protected].