The staff and consumers at UCP's Colonial Park Day Program give back to the community each week through a variety of volunteer opportunities that includes the Swatara Church, Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, WITF, and RSVP of the Capital Region (RSVP). The volunteer experience is rich in continued skill development in the areas of socialization, communication, independence, and task completion. 

Our relationship with RSVP began in October 2015. Since that time UCP staff and consumers volunteer every Friday, and have assisted with mailings, sorted yarn and fabric by color, paired hats and gloves for children, made cards for veterans at Thanksgiving and Christmastime, folded blankets, and tagged donated books with bookplates.

Fred Wanner, Supervisor, Colonial Park Day Program, expands on a key outcome "RSVP has provided UCP consumers with meaningful social interactions. The RSVP staff, especially Michelle Jones, Development Coordinator, and Julie, Administrative Assistant, have developed relationships with our consumers. They have invited us to stay after we have finished our volunteer work and have lunch together."

RSVP is a volunteer-based organization serving the Central PA region for more than 40 years. They recruit, train and place volunteers in not-for-profit agencies, schools, government offices, hospitals and senior residences. While the primary focus of their efforts is with volunteers 55 years of age and older, they support volunteerism for people of all ages. This is especially evident in their outstanding support of the UCP consumer volunteers. 

When Michelle was asked to share more about the relationship between UCP and RSVP she indicated, "We love to have our friends from UCP in our office! Obviously they're providing a valuable service to our organization, and through that, all the organizations we serve. But they also showcase our dedication to supporting any volunteer who wants to be of service. Everyone can help, and our job is to help volunteers accomplish their goals, so it's truly a mutually beneficial relationship. As an added bonus, we just love the people we get to work with, both staff and consumers."

Our work at RSVP represents just one of the many opportunities where we are giving back each week, and in turn building relationships and developing skills that lead to increased independence. This 2.5 minute video provides a glimpse into a day volunteering at RSVP.