The National Volunteer Caregiving Network (NVCN) estimates upwards of 1,000 local organizations that provide volunteer caregiving across the United States and in the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.  The typical program is operating on $350,000 per year and serving 560 clients with 230 volunteers and two staff.  That equates to more than 500,000 seniors and people with disabilities who benefit from this successful model of volunteer service.  Topping the demand are transportation services which account for almost 2 million trips per year–mostly medical-related.

Volunteer Caregiving was established in 1984 with initial funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Faith in Action® program and has since been entrusted to NVCN for safekeeping.  This signature project, with its trademarked “heartburst” launched 25 initial pilot programs.  Thanks to the Foundation’s help, more than 1,000 programs were funded in the years that followed, many of which survive to this day along with new programs that continue to follow the business model.  The Volunteer Caregiving movement continues to thrive–sometimes on a wing and a prayer–across America, thanks to donations from corporate, foundation, and individual donors – like YOU!

If you’d like more information, please send us a message at info@nvcnetwork.org