Sioux Empire United Way - Your Gift in Action

September 2007
Seniors Impact Area

Your Gift in Action is a monthly update from the Sioux Empire United Way. The update demonstrates how contributions work throughout the year. Each month focuses on a different impact area addressed by United Way and our volunteers.

Every dollar truly matters and makes a difference in a life. Here's how your contribution has been working...

The Center for Active Generations Senior Nutrition program provides hot and nutritious noon meals to seniors in Sioux Falls and 18 communities in southeastern South Dakota. In August the program served 18,485 meals to nearly 900 area seniors improving nutritional well being and enhancing quality of life. Each day seniors gather in a congregate setting with friends to enjoy a noon meal and homebound seniors look forward daily to the warm meal and bright smile brought to them by a Meals on Wheels volunteer driver. Daily human contact is invaluable to participating seniors and a very important component of our program.

In the month of August alone, Workers on Wheels volunteers completed 50 jobs and rides for senior citizens in need. These jobs include mowing, packing and moving, trimming trees, repairing faucets and doors, and hauling debris to the landfill. All of these services are done free of charge to the senior. WOW drivers use their own cars and gas to take seniors to medical appointments and to the grocery store. Not only is this, and the chore service, needed for the elderly in Sioux Falls, WOW also provides a wonderful opportunity for friendship. The seniors love the help and are grateful for the volunteers and the volunteers love getting the job done and meeting new people.

44 Senior Companion Volunteers provided 324 clients in the Sioux Empire for a total of 3,287 hours of service in August 2007. These senior volunteers provide assistance to area seniors with various activities, including grocery shopping, transportation to appointments, and more. Additionally Senior Companions held their annual Recognition Event on August 15. In addition to the volunteers from the Sioux Empire area attending were representatives from both U.S. Senators' offices, from U.S. Representative Herseth-Sandlin, SD State Legislative Representatives and a City of Sioux Falls Council member. Sioux Falls Mayor Dave Munson helped open the event by welcoming the volunteers and dignitaries.

*To learn more about the impact Sioux Empire United Way Partner Programs are having, please click here.

Need for Senior Programs

The population is aging at a rapid rate with people age 55+ being the fastest growing age group.

The SD population of 60+ is at 18.3%. We are eighth in the nation for the percentage of the population in the 60+ age group.

Projection for those afflicted with an Alzheimer’s type dementia is expected to increase to 26,000 persons in 2025 in SD alone.

Impact Programs Have

Caregivers who are given a break through Day Break are given time to complete errands and work, reducing their stress.

Older adults who receive assistance through Workers on Wheels are able to stay in their own homes longer delaying placement in a long term care facility.

It is estimated an hour of volunteer time is worth
a little over $12 in SD, which
means the hours RSVP volunteers have contributed to the Sioux Empire are worth over $1 million to the community.

Seniors who receive proper nutrition through Meals on Wheels see a reduction in chronic physical and mental health issues, they are also provided a chance to meet and socialize with the volunteer drivers.

Agencies & Programs

Center for Active Generations
Day Break
Nutrition Services
Rural Education, Recreation & Socialization
Workers on Wheels

RSVP-Retired Senior Volunteer Program

Senior Companion Program

For more information about programs or to volunteer call the HELP!Line Center at 211 (or 605-339-4357) or visit http://www.helplinecenter.org/

Volunteers Needed

With a new school year starting and fall approaching, volunteers are needed for a variety of programs. Consider mentoring a child, serving as a coach, helping individuals with raking their yard, or one of the many other volunteer opportunities available in the Sioux Empire. To learn more about volunteering in your community, please call 211 or visit www.helplinecenter.org

What Matters

Loneliness, having a disability, and growing older often times can lead to unhappiness. But when you add a Senior Companion into the mix, things start to look a little brighter.

“We were friends at first sight,” said Hannah of her Senior Companion. “I don’t know what I would do without her.”

Senior Companions are healthy older adults that help other older adults live independently. At no cost to the clients, they assist with grocery shopping and other daily tasks necessary to maintain independence and provide support to family caregivers. Without the help of Senior Companions, many older adults would not be able to continue living at home.

“I could write volumes about each of my clients,” said Kathryn, Hannah’s Companion. “They give me so much.”

“The uniqueness of the program is that the volunteers are 60 and older and can better relate to the homebound. They are at the same place in their lives and their clients appreciate that,” said Senior Companion Director Jim Holiway.

Most Senior Companions have 5-7 clients and volunteer approximately 20 hours a week, but Kathryn has nine clients and volunteers nearly 40 hours … she wishes she could do more.

“When I’m down she can tell …she always says the perfect thing,” said Kathryn. “I’m supposed to be helping her and she makes my day.”

The Senior Companions are on a limited income and benefit from a tax free stipend as well as the meaningful community service. In 2006, 392 older adults received assistance from a Senior Companion thanks to funds from the Sioux Empire United Way.

Because we know what matters.

And what matters to Hannah … “Everyday, when I see the sun I thank God for opening my eyes this morning. Because I know I have someone who cares.”

The Decision Makers

There are currently eight volunteers on the Seniors Impact Team. These individuals provide stewardship to United Way contributors while planning, setting priorities, distributing funds and developing collaborative community solutions.