Dr. Erwin Tan
This post originally appeared on the White House blog on July 15, 2011.
Pictured to the right: Dr. Erwin Tan, Director of Senior Corps at the Corporation for National and Community Service, leads a panel of senior volunteers at a U.S. Administration on Aging July 13, 2011.
On Wednesday July 12, 2011, I was honored to participate in a White House event on senior volunteerism and service. At the event, Melody Barnes, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, explained that seniors in service creates a “win-win” situation—communities benefit from the volunteers and the volunteers benefit from the act of serving.
Senior Corps is based on the premise that Americans 55 and older are a national resource that can be mobilized to serve communities across America. Through the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), Foster Grandparent Program, and Senior Companion Program– Senior Corps volunteers make communities safer, stronger, and healthier; and improve the lives of millions of our most vulnerable citizens. As Ms. Barnes put it, “Senior volunteers change communities.”
Today, Americans over 65 represent 13% of our population. By the year 2030, that number will be 20%. But while some may talk about how the aging of America is a problem to be solved, we at Senior Corps believe it an opportunity for both individuals and communities. Last year, more than 440,000 Senior Corps volunteers provided 98 million hours of service – estimated to be worth $2 billion. Senior Corps is part of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), a federal agency. The federal investment in national and community service allows our nation to address important national issues by empowering communities...
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