Ashley Sorensen is a matchmaker — but not exactly for love! As the new RSVP Volunteer Coordinator for Poweshiek County, Ashley Sorensen is looking to match volunteer opportunities with one specific demographic in the county: retired, senior individuals!
This morning, Sorensen visited the Chamber Ambassadors and shared what her last four months have been like in her new role. She has been “getting into Grinnell,” discovering local spots to find older (55+) Grinnell residents and helping them find their dream volunteer opportunities.
“There are so many benefits to volunteering,” emphasizes Sorensen. “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.”
In her role, Sorensen matches retired and senior individuals to local organizations across Poweshiek County, such as non-profits, public schools, and health-related sectors. Since she entered her new position, she has doubled the number of active volunteers in her program — by the end of the year, she hopes to have recruited at least 150 people in the area!
As Sorensen explores how people spend their time in the Grinnell community, she has found a few interesting things. She has found that older folks enjoy visiting McNally’s for morning coffees and spend time learning new topics through the Drake Community Library’s bucket courses. When she meets people in these community spots who are interested in volunteering, she matches them!
“Match is very important,” shares Sorensen. “There are so many cool volunteers with different skills and interests, so we want to fit them in organizations that match those skills.” She currently has one volunteer in Montezuma who delivers books to homebound individuals, and in the upcoming school year, she will have a volunteer who writes pen pal letters to elementary school students. Sorensen also noted that folks can volunteer to drive people to their doctor’s appointments or grocery store shopping — 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 utilize their volunteers — this way, she has the best opportunity to create a perfect volunteer match. She already has relationships with organizations like LINK Grinnell and the Mayflower.
“One great part of RSVP is that people can be reimbursed for their mileage when they volunteer,” says Sorensen. “We also have insurance if, for example, you break your glasses during a volunteering shift.” As her group of volunteers are trained and begin new work schedules, their hours are recorded to know the amount of impact they are having on their local communities.
Currently, Sorensen is looking for volunteers and friendly faces to help out at places like Farm to Table, the Grinnell Historical Museum, and for the occasional one-time special events. If you are older than 55 years old or if you have an older friend, encourage them to volunteer through RSVP! The process is pretty simple — fill out a volunteer application and walk through the RSVP handbook. Then, Sorensen will match your skills and interests with those of local organizations. Contact Ashley Sorensen at 641-888-0989, or email ashley.sorensen@volunteeriowa.org. If you are a new resident to Grinnell, Sorensen is excited to greet newcomers who are ready to jump into volunteer opportunities at the Chamber’s New Resident Welcome event being held September 25!
Chamber Ambassadors from left to right:
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