19 January 2012

Second member of RSVP of Washtenaw County to receive the Governor’s Service Award...

2011 Michigan Senior Volunteer of the Year

Joe McCadden

Joe McCadden (third from left), Tax Aid Volunteer for Catholic Social Services of  Washtenaw County (CSSW) Tax Aid Program, was honored as “Michigan’s Senior Volunteer of the Year”, as part of the Governor’s Service Awards on October 24, 2011.  Joe joins RSVP Volunteer Bill Yaeger who received the award in 2009.  The Senior Volunteer of the Year Award “honors a senior citizen who has taken action to make her or his community a better place to live” (Governor’s Service Award Brochure, 2011).  Joe does this by giving of his time and energy to help senior citizens and individuals with disabilities complete their taxes.

The CSSW Older Adult Services Tax Aid Program serves more than 1,000 Washtenaw County households every year and helps to bring those households more than $600,000 annually in tax refunds and credits.  Joe has headed the Tax Aid Program since 1998.  Over and above his paid hours, he contributes 1,500 volunteer hours per year to the program: creating training and reference materials, teaching volunteers and backing up their work, analyzing results, and himself doing taxes for some 250 households per year.

Aside from the Tax Program, Joe sings with the University of Michigan Choral Union; ushers for visiting and student productions at the University of Michigan; and is a lector at his parish.  He also works part-time as a Russian interpreter for the University of Michigan Health System.

Joe finds that his “experience has been that when one volunteers and finds the right niche, one gets as much as one gives…the rewards are rich if you find the right volunteer job".

There are two ways to  approach life: one is to push one another down, the other is to help one  another up.  Things work alot better when you help.”   - Joe McCadden

11 August 2011

Joe "the Tax Man" McCadden has been volunteering for the Catholic Social Services Tax Program for the past 18 years. He is being nominated for the 2011 Governor's Service Award. Please take a moment to view the nomination video. Joe is truly a gift to the clients he serves.

01 November 2010

Family Learning Institute is an after school program that is located in Ann Arbor Michigan. FLI volunteers tutor low income students in reading, writing and math at no cost. Larry came to FLI in the spring of 2010 through the RSVP program as a Tuesday-Wednesday volunteer to help with computer support. The Executive Director of FLI, Amy Rolfes, has a teaching background and admittedly “knows very little about computers and databases and such!” Upon Larry’s arrival, things began looking up at FLI. Larry’s extensive knowledge of technology helped with previously unsolvable issues with the fax machine, phone system, printers and computers.
In the late summer, FLI underwent a major reorganization of space. Larry was instrumental in the move, with his analytical and methodical way of thinking about things. He measured, drew up plans, took things apart and put things back together. “Tuesday and Wednesdays are great days for me. Larry brings in his assorted tools for different projects and he is always very thorough. I would be discouraged if I had to figure these things out, but Larry enjoys the challenge and the variety of tasks.”
Larry says that Rachel (RSVP Coordinator) made a good match between himself and FLI. The technology needs of FLI are great for Larry’s skill set . He says “I get to come in and maintain the office equipment and I really enjoy working with the staff and other volunteers.”
We appreciate RSVP and the great work that Larry is doing at FLI!

07 September 2010

As a program coordinator linking seniors with volunteer opportunities, I am acutely aware of how the time and efforts of volunteers benefit programs, agencies, and communities. And in the program I coordinate - the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) - we rely on older adult volunteers to help the program function. Each Monday morning, beloved office volunteer, Lola, arrives without fail. She gives immeasurable support to our programs every week: helping with any and all office projects, answering the phones, providing information and referral, telling good stories, keeping us laughing with her quick wit.

But what does Lola receive from volunteering? She would probably say she gets to see her other “family” every week. She undoubtedly knows she is helping programs serving seniors in concrete ways every time she comes in. She’s getting out of the house and feeling productive.

Recently we were reminded of how volunteering keeps some engaged in their communities and young at heart by providing new experiences. On a recent Monday, a group of three young students from Korea who were visiting the area for a month, came to spend the day in Older Adult Services. They were learning about social services in the US and sharing impressions of similarities and differences in Korea. Language was a barrier, but not one Lola shied away from in the least. As the photo shows, she jumped right in asking questions, looking at pictures the students had, and using a laptop for the first time in her life. Not the kind of thing that happens every day, but one that made the world a little smaller and life a little richer.