Help wanted: senior volunteers. (Not-for-Profit Report).

Not every schoolchild goes home to a safe, secure, and stable environment. Too often they just go to a place that may be devoid of care, love, and affection. These "at-risk" elementary schoolchildren (grades one through six) need not be lost. Through such partnerships as the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and the Rogue Valley Manor retirement community, these children can be identified and provided with one-on-one mentoring through the Lunch Buddy program in Medford, Oregon.

The approach is based on using a pool of community volunteers, with each adult mentor paired with a child to spend a lunch period with on a weekly basis. Activities range from playground time and board games, to telling stories and simple conversation. The mentors are expected to provide encouragement and guidance, showing the children that they are important in an adult's life. Such mentors are sometimes the only stable adults in these children's lives.

But the experience of Medford's Lunch Buddy program also serves as an example of how difficult providing such programs can be. While many stories cheerfully trumpet volunteerism among the senior population, this is not always the case. Senior volunteers can be difficult to come by. Perhaps it's because we often forget that many seniors continue to lead busy, active lives, and may not feel free to volunteer their time. Or, if willing, they might not be aware of volunteer opportunities, or feel daunted by some of them. In short, it's harder than it looks.

Medford's Lunch Buddy program was started in 1995 by the local Community Partnership Team of the Oregon Department of Human Services. When reorganization within that department eliminated all of Oregon's Community Partnership Teams, RSVP and the Rogue Valley Manor retirement community stepped in to assume operation of the program in January 2002.

RSVP is supported by the federal government through the Corporation for National and Community Service, a standalone agency that oversees volunteer programs. One of the requirements is that these programs have a non-profit sponsoring organization; in RSVP's case, the sponsor for the last 18 years has been the Rogue Valley Manor retirement community. As far as RSVP officials can tell, Rogue Valley Manor is the only retirement community in the country that serves as such. "The more than 750 RSVPs nationwide work with individuals age 55 and above and place them in significant volunteer opportunities," explains Becky Snyder, RSVP director. "We assumed operation of the Lunch Buddy program from an agency that was dissolved. In doing so, we didn't feel that we could totally change the face of the program, so we received approval from our state Corporation for National and Community Service office to work with volunteers outside the realm of age 55. Of the 40 volunteers currently working in the program, 18 are age 55 or above, and the median age of the volunteers is 51.5. Previously, the volunteer force had been a combination of adults and senior high school students, which did not provide the necessary consistency desired in such a program.

There is no question that the Lunch Buddy program offers an attractive volunteer opportunity. "Any feedback we have received has been very positive, not only from the volunteers, but from school personnel and the children themselves," says Snyder. "I think that sometimes just knowing the different circumstances of the children involved and the strides many make is inspiring in and of itself. When you learn just whose mother is in prison from drugs and which dad is totally out of the picture, or which child is actually sleeping in a car at night because that's all the family has, I am actually in awe that these kids have the fortitude to get up in the morning and go to school. If the Lunch Buddy program can help them further connect with our community, then so be it."

But then comes the hard part. "Unfortunately, at this time we don't have a large number of senior participants in the program," says Snyder. "I say 'unfortunately' because l know firsthand what a gift being involved in this program can be. I have been a Lunch Buddy for four years, and it is an uplifting experience even on the worst of days. This is also the sentiment I have heard expressed by those seniors we do have involved in the program.

"But I think the major change we have seen," she continues, "is in focusing on adult volunteer participation in the program, which means tapping into our senior population much more. I think sometimes seniors tend to steer away from working with youth, as either they don't feel comfortable or qualified to handle the situation. I hope to somehow alter that way of thinking, as seniors have a lifetime of lessons and experiences that can be so beneficial to children, in particular to the 'at-risk' children that this program is designed to serve. I would personally love to see this program evolve into more of a Big Brother/Big Sister-type of situation. As far as the number of desired volunteers, we can literally use as many as we can get. Just in the Medford School District, we could use about 150 just to work with the most in need, but schools will take as many as we send them."

The fact that RSVP is having to actively recruit seniors into the program may come as a bit of a shock to all those who blindly assume that all seniors like to volunteer in the community, especially when children are involved. "I think it's not just one factor that influences this," says Snyder. "In something like the Lunch Buddy program, I do think we have a couple of hurdles. It's been my experience that when you mention the word 'mentor,' people tend to relate it to a more responsible role than, say, if you are asking them to be a 'tutor.' From what we have observed, though, folks who become tutors do also become mentors as a by-product, even though they don't become involved with it for that purpose. When we have the opportunity to explain what the role of Lunch Buddy entails, many feel more confident in participating."

Other seldom-considered problems pop up, as well. "One concrete problem that we do face is that of the flexibility involved," Snyder explains. "Many of the senior volunteers enjoy fluid schedules and don't want to be tied down to a once-a-week commitment. I am heartened, however, that if someone doesn't wish to participate for this reason, the person understands the importance of being consistent with the children and realizes that a 'hit-and-miss' situation would actually be more harmful to them."

So, what is RSVP planning to do about all this? "During this past year," says Snyder, "recruitment has taken the form of approaching anyone that I and other existing Lunch Buddies can talk to--I've recruited bank employees, other human service providers, friends, friends of friends, etc. Some seniors were already involved in the program when we assumed operation of it. We recruited other volunteers with whom we had worked previously on other projects as we felt they would enjoy this activity and be wonderful mentors for youth. We will turn to even more active recruiting of seniors this next year through a variety of channels. Also, we developed a brochure this year that we will be able to distribute at senior centers, local churches, senior fairs, retirement homes, the YMCAs, etc.--in other words, any place where seniors might congregate. I will follow up in those areas by personally speaking to any group who will have me. We will also explain the program to new volunteers registering with RSVP, as well as ex isting volunteers, through our quarterly newsletter. Anywhere we can catch a senior's attention, we will try to make him or her aware of this great volunteer opportunity."

With its history of success and a proven community from which to draw volunteers, one can expect the Lunch Buddy program to continue to thrive in the upcoming years. But it and programs like it will take some creative recruitment of seniors, who can give so much but cannot be taken for granted.

For more information on Rogue Valley Manor, visit www.retirement.org. To comment on this article, please send e-mail to [e-mail].