Clinch Valley Community Action Agency (CVCAA) was established in 1965 as the Tazewell County Development Association. Originally serving Tazewell County, CVCAA now offers services in Tazewell, Russell, Buchanan, Smyth, Wythe, and Bland counties in Southwest Virginia. These are counties that share a history of coal mining and the present-day effects of that industry, ranging from environmental impacts to disproportionate rates of poverty among residents. Food insecurity is a significant concern for many residents and food pantries do what they can to provide nourishment and connection. To help them meet this widespread need, CVCAA has been an AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP (Retired & Senior Volunteer Program) site for more than fifty years, coordinating volunteers to serve on-site at food pantries across Tazewell, Russell, and Buchanan counties as well as helping support the thrift stores that accompany some of the food pantries.

Nationally, the AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program pairs thousands of Americans aged 55 and older with organizations making change in their communities. More than half of the CVCAA's 260+ AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve in food pantries through AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP. “Folks who volunteer with RSVP find it very worthwhile and have a good time helping out,” says CVCAA’s Director of Senior Volunteer Services, Rick Mallory.

Other AmeriCorps Seniors at CVCAA volunteer their time through the AmeriCorps Seniors Senior Companion Program and RSVP, where they check in on neighbors and other seniors in the area in order to take them to appointments, deliver meals, brighten their days, and ensure that those who are able to continue living independently do so.  Other CVCAA AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP volunteers make greeting cards with residents at Heritage Hall Nursing Home in Tazewell or support fundraising efforts for local nonprofits like the Buchanan Friends of the Library, showcasing how adaptable the AmeriCorps Seniors programs are for engaging diverse skills, interests, and needs.

“I am amazed at the things our volunteers do… they stay very busy,” says Mallory. “We just ask for them to have a heart for service and an interest in making their communities better places to live.” Among the ranks of CVCAA’s AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers are married couples who volunteer together, combat veterans, volunteers who also have their own Senior Companions, and even one volunteer who is 96 and moved to Ohio to be with family but still calls to check in on folks in Tazewell.

Mallory also shares this example of just a few of the incredible AmeriCorps Seniors volunteering at CVCAA currently: “Ada Stacy, Helen Steele, and Connie Horton go above and beyond helping the community and overseas. They make quilts and distribute to nursing homes, also they made dresses and dolls that went to Rwanda. If they are not sewing, they are building ramps for handicap patients. They also deliver Meals-On-Wheels. They are very active in our community every day. We are blessed to have these ladies. They go above and beyond for anyone. This is just one example of the tremendous service our RSVP volunteers offer our communities”

Each year, more than 2,000 AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve across Virginia through programs including RSVP, Senior Companions, and Foster Grandparents, as part of the more than 140,000 volunteers who serve in AmeriCorps Seniors across the country. Evidence shows that AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers report better health and longevity having served their community. In addition to these benefits, CVCAA offers their volunteers birthday cards and appreciation gifts as well as invitations to annual picnics where people can build community and celebrate together. Still, Mallory says, “The majority of our volunteers don’t do it for the recognition, they do it just for the joy of serving.”

Clinch Valley Community Action’s mission is to provide resources and opportunities to individuals, families, and communities in a supportive environment to improve the quality of life while treating each individual with respect and dignity. In addition to their AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP and Senior Companion programs, CVCA programs include Head Start, Camp Joy, and family crisis services. To learn more, visit clinchvalleycaa.org.