Poweshiek County welcomes Ashley Sorensen, the new RSVP Volunteer Iowa Coordinator

If you are age 55 plus and are looking to make a difference in Grinnell, Brooklyn, Montezuma or elsewhere in the county, consider volunteering through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program.

RSVP, which is an outreach of Iowa Health and Human Services, is part of the largest volunteer network in the state for people age 55 plus called AmeriCorps Seniors. The program connects people 55 and older with volunteer opportunities, allowing them to use their skills, talents and life experiences to help meet community needs.

The local program is under the direction of Ashley Sorensen, the new RSVP Volunteer Iowa Coordinator for Poweshiek County.

Sorensen brings 25 years of experience to her position, building on her work with the YMCA and various nonprofits through the years. She and her husband, George, moved from Wichita, Kansas to Newton in January.

George serves as chief executive officer of the Newton YMCA. The couple has two children.

“The skills I learned working with the YMCA and other nonprofits has been a guiding light to the work I am doing with local nonprofits here in Poweshiek County,” Sorensen said.

Since taking on the role of RSVP Volunteer Iowa Coordinator in mid-April, Sorensen has been busy getting to know potential volunteers and the places they gather while finding ways to connect them with volunteer opportunities at businesses, churches, the hospital, food pantries and other nonprofit organizations across the county.

Volunteer opportunities with RSVP can range from providing social connection to other people, improving access to food, or providing youth support. Sorensen works with each organization and identifies ways each location would use their volunteers.

This way, she has the best opportunity to create a perfect volunteer match. She already has relationships with organizations like Ahrens Foundation and the Mayflower.

Sorensen has ventured into Brooklyn and Montezuma where she is making connections and learning about community needs in those two towns. She recently developed a relationship with the Montezuma Public Library and has a volunteer delivering books to homebound residents.

“One great part of RSVP outreach is that people can be reimbursed for their mileage when they volunteer,” said Sorensen. “We also have insurance if, for example, you break your glasses during a volunteering shift.”

As volunteers are trained and begin new work schedules, their hours are recorded to show the impact they are having on their local communities, said Sorensen.

“There are so many benefits to volunteering,” Sorensen told the Grinnell Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors earlier this year. “Not only do you get out of the house, but studies show that those who volunteer tend to live longer, find purpose and be happier.”

One of Sorensen’s goals is to work with schools in the county to start a pen pal program for students in the third and fourth grades. Once a month, students in the program would write a letter to an RSVP volunteer, who would then write a letter back to that student during the school year.

Sorensen has also made connections with nonprofit organizations such as Mid-Iowa Community Action, Poweshiek County Veterans Affairs, Unity Point Hospice, Renewed Hope Home Furnishing (Grinnell Friends Church) and Poweshiek County Extension 4-H Clover Kids program.

Sorensen said there are opportunities for volunteers to teach an exercise class or bring real-life experience to the classroom. She is looking for volunteers and friendly faces to help out at places like Grinnell Farm to Table, the Grinnell Historical Museum and for the occasional one-time special events.

There is also a need for volunteers to serve as walking buddies and reading buddies to residents at the Mayflower, and Sorensen is working with the Ahrens Foundation to connect volunteers to help with the Tiger Packs program.

“Match is very important,” noted Sorensen. “There are so many cool volunteers with different skills and interests, so we want to fit them in organizations that match those skills.”

Twenty-five people in the county have signed up to serve as RSVP Volunteers.

“That number has doubled since I started getting the word out that I am a resource to help volunteers find their place to give back,” said Sorensen. “By the end of the year, my goal is to have recruited at least 150 people in the area.”

The process for becoming a volunteer is pretty simple, said Sorensen. Fill out a volunteer application and walk through the RSVP handbook. Sorensen will match a volunteer’s skills and interests with those of local organizations.

Sorensen can be reached at 641-888-0989 or by email at ashley.sorensen@volunteeriowa.org.

Sorensen is excited to greet newcomers to Grinnell at the Chamber’s New Resident Welcome event Sept. 25 at Central Park and find volunteer opportunities for them.

(Some information in this article was provided by the Grinnell Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors.)