 Seniors in Service and Serving Our Seniors
There’s a place for everyone in national service.
When I am describing AmeriCorps service in communities across the country or talking to leaders, some make assumptions. There’s an image that AmeriCorps members are young, perhaps taking a gap-year, or returning to serve their community after college. What I share is that, more than 140,000 volunteers will lead with AmeriCorps this year—all of whom happen to be over 55. AmeriCorps is an infrastructure that enables people at the beginning of their life’s work to contribute to communities and it’s where those with rich life experience and expertise come to give back. I’m referring to our AmeriCorps Seniors, RSVP, Foster Grandparents, and Senior Companion that connect seniors to opportunities mentoring children, giving time in community organizations, and building supportive networks between seniors.
As we continue to celebrate 30 years of AmeriCorps impact, I invite you to explore impressive highlights of the power of AmeriCorps, from the “return on investment” our AmeriCorps Seniors' Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Programs offer, to the work of our research grantees on gender, immigrants, and volunteerism. Also: if you are an AmeriCorps Seniors grantee or AmeriCorps research grantee, please see my personal invitation to you for our 2024 convening in partnership with AmeriCorps Seniors in Baltimore later this summer where we will reflect, empower, transform, and celebrate AmeriCorps seniors.
In service,
Mary Hyde, Ph.D., Director,
Office of Research and Evaluation
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