RSVP Reports Over 20,000 Volunteer Hours, More than $615,000 in Service to Winneshiek County

If no one funds local news, your community is just rumors. Help Decorah News bring facts home. DECORAH — The Northeast Iowa Retired and Senior Volunteer Program asked the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors Monday to approve continued county funding, citing extensive volunteer service and growing community needs. RSVP Director Deana Hageman told the board the organization is requesting $15,000, the same amount it received last year. Hageman said RSVP placed volunteers at roughly 82 service sites across the region and currently works with 618 volunteers serving Winneshiek, Allamakee and Howard counties. During the most recent reporting year, volunteers contributed more than 42,000 hours of service, including more than 20,000 hours in Winneshiek County alone. Using the Independent Sector's estimated value of a volunteer hour, Hageman said those hours represent more than $615,000 in service returned to the community. RSVP volunteers support a wide range of services beyond food pantries and meal delivery, including tutoring, fraud-prevention education, help with mailings and administrative tasks for nonprofits, and one-time projects for agencies needing short-term assistance. Hageman noted that meal delivery services previously supported through RSVP have changed, prompting the organization to explore new ways to provide daily check-ins for older adults and address other unmet needs. She said the addition of a full-time staff member has allowed RSVP to assess how it can expand services and better support volunteers as community demand continues to grow. RSVP Stats According to Hageman's 2024-2025 report, RSVP has: Logged 46 hours worth of informational fraud prevention presentations. Assisted with taxes and tax documents for 3,016.25 hours across over 700 returns with a 98% accuracy rate. Provided 1,964 home meal deliveries across 494 volunteer hours working in conjunction with Good Samaritan Postville and Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging. Assisted area-food pantries (Greater Area Food Pantry, Lansing Iowa Food Trust, Allamakee County Food Shelf, Postville Food Pantry, and Decorah Community Food Pantry) for a combined total of 18,500.75 hours. Volunteers gave 9,438 hours to the Decorah Community Food Pantry alone. Hageman thanked the board for its past support and said continued county funding is critical to sustaining volunteer coordination and services throughout Winneshiek County. Be the first to know! Sign up for the free newsletter and unlock exclusive updates, breaking news, and tips from around the community.