Jimmy Birman the ne director of the United Way Cache Valley announces the United for Ukraine support for refugees exiting the war-torn country.
LOGAN – Jimmy Birman, United Way of Cache Valley executive director, announced on May 5th that he received an AmeriCorps Seniors demonstration grant of $209,813 for 24 months from the AmeriCorps federal agency to support 210 volunteers serving in Cache County. The grant will expand United Way of Cache Valley presence throughout the county starting July 1, 2022.
Birman said he’s always trying to find ways to move forward the UWCV mission by committing to unite the caring power of Cache Valley to better lives.
“Through the AmeriCorps Seniors Volunteer program and collaboration with community experts and community partners, we will provide essential resources to help improve the well-being of everyone in the community,” he said. “United Way of Cache Valley is excited to mobilize this volunteer force to better the lives of our volunteers and our community.”
With this new funding, United Way of Cache Valley will leverage the skills and experience of seniors 55 and older in the valley to implement initiatives in three areas.
- Public Health Education opportunity supporting a valley-wide volunteer center.
- Mental Health support with senior social support groups and engaging social activities.
- Strengthen student socioemotional skills by becoming EveryDay Strong Allies, possibly within the Cache County School District.
Senior volunteers can start signing up to become a volunteer on October 1, 2022. Tina Brundage, the UWCV program director, will be the point person for this effort. Her phone number is (435) 554-8631. She is also the community grant program director for UWCV.
These funds were made possible from the historic $1 billion investment in AmeriCorps through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to provide immediate relief from the pandemic, with a specific focus on support for underserved and disproportionately impacted communities.
Senior volunteers stay healthy and active through service. When seniors volunteer they improve their own lives as they improve the lives of others. A growing body of research affirms the numerous mental and physical health benefits of volunteering. The research shows service benefits include lower mortality rates, decreased rates of depression, and increased strength and energy.