Volunteer Senior Ambassador Program aims to reach seniors in rural areas

New Washoe County Senior Services program needs volunteers.

Reno, Nevada. May 16, 2016. Washoe County Senior Services is calling on the community to help with the new Volunteer Senior Ambassador Program. Senior Services is launching the program this July in an effort to expand services to seniors in unincorporated and rural areas of Washoe County.

Washoe County Senior Services serves on average 7,000 meals to seniors each week, 4,600 of those go to homebound seniors. The department will begin recruiting and training volunteers for the Volunteer Senior Ambassador Program to support the senior nutrition programs this month. Volunteers are needed to deliver meals to homebound seniors, provide information about services, lead activities at rural senior centers and spend time socializing with seniors who are unable to leave their home.

“I encourage anybody who has a little bit of spare time to spend it volunteering for what we believe will be a successful program,” Washoe County Assistant County Manager Kevin Schiller said. “Senior ambassadors will increase the community’s awareness of senior nutrition and senior center services while at the same time expanding the quality and quantity of services to our valued senior population.”

Individuals interested in volunteering for the Senior Volunteer Ambassador Program can head online to the Washoe County Senior Services web page.

The Volunteer Senior Ambassador Program was approved by the Board of County Commissioners and is funded through a Community Development Block Grant.

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