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Community Corner

Annual Volunteer Realtors Assist Seniors

Call today, get free help, May 5-9. (408) 200-0100

http://www.silvar.org/index.cfm/rsvp_program.htm 

FREE Frequently Requested Tasks:

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  • Wash windows
  • Flip a mattress
  • Change furnace filters
  • Change light bulbs
  • Rake leaves/ trim hedges
  • Move furniture
  • And more!
For homeowners or renters who are advanced in years and are physically and financially challenged, tasks like replacing smoke detector batteries, flipping a mattress or washing the windows can pose a major challenge. For those who live on the Peninsula or in the South Bay (Atherton, Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, Woodside, Portola Valley, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Saratoga, Monte Sereno, or Los Gatos), the RSVP program offers cost-free assistance by local REALTORS®  in cooperation with various community organizations and senior centers. The community outreach program, known as REALTOR® Service Volunteer Program (RSVP), provides senior citizens with a friendly visit and free assistance with household tasks during a designated week each year.


The annual hands-on effort, usually scheduled for one week in May, is organized by the members and affiliates of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR), the San Mateo County Association of REALTORS® (SAMCAR), the Santa Clara County Association of REALTORS® (SCCAOR) and the Santa Cruz County Association of REALTORS® (SCAOR). During RSVP Week, teams of REALTOR® volunteers and affiliates (professionals who provide industry-related services) visit residences of seniors who request the free service and perform various cleaning and maintenance tasks. Seniors may request to have light bulbs replaced, furnace filters changed, windows cleaned, mattresses turned or new smoke detector batteries installed.

The REALTOR® community outreach program was officially launched in 2001 by SILVAR. Last year, 447 RSVP volunteers from the Bay Area provided free assistance to 297 senior households; 241 REALTORS® and affiliates from SILVAR assisted 118 senior households in SILVAR’s five districts (Menlo Park/Atherton, Palo Alto, Los Altos/Mountain View, Cupertino/Sunnyvale and Los Gatos/Saratoga).

“As REALTORS®, we sell the benefits and aspirations of our communities," observed Eileen Giorgi, SILVAR RSVP Chair. "We are also neighbors and know about local needs. We share the desire for our communities to be great places to live and are committed to give back to those who have built our communities. This program enables us to help seniors and the homebound enjoy their homes in the community for a longer time."

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Senior homeowners and renters with physical and financial constraints and live in SILVAR-covered cities and towns can inquire about the upcoming program by calling (408) 200-0100 

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