St. Louis, MO – The Oasis Institute has received a $75,000 grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). The funding will bring the Oasis Intergenerational Tutoring Program to elementary schools in four Illinois communities: East St. Louis, Washington Park, Brooklyn and Centreville in the 2019-2020 school year.
“We are excited to receive additional support from Senior Corps RSVP,” said Paul Weiss, president of The Oasis Institute. “In St. Louis, we already have a strong relationship with RSVP through Oasis Intergenerational Tutoring, and we’re looking forward to building on that. This expansion grant allows us to serve older adults and early elementary age students in nearly every district in the metropolitan St. Louis area in communities and schools of greatest need. We’re thrilled to grow Oasis programs and volunteer opportunities East of the Mississippi.”
The Senior Corps RSVP grant to Oasis is part of more than $13.6 million in funding announced in March 2019 to support senior volunteer service in more than 150 communities across the country. The Senior Corps grants will both strengthen existing programs and establish new areas of service for the Senior Corps RSVP program.
“As more and more Americans reach retirement age, we are grateful that so many are choosing to make service a part of their second act,” said Deborah Cox-Roush, director of Senior Corps. “Senior Corps provides an opportunity to harness the experience and dedication of an entire generation – to ensure opportunity for generations that follow. With the grants announced today, we’re building upon the proven concept of senior service and delivering more opportunities for older adults to serve.”
Oasis Intergenerational Tutoring is a volunteer program that pairs older adults with children in grades K-3 to work one-on-one each week as their tutors, mentors and friends. Oasis tutors use a six-step approach to literacy designed by educators that emphasizes improved reading, speaking, listening and writing. Since 2014, St. Louis Oasis RSVP Tutors have served over 100,000 hours mentoring more than 2,000 children.
About The Oasis Institute
Oasis is a national education organization that promotes healthy aging through lifelong learning and service. Offering stimulating programs in the arts, humanities, health, technology and volunteer service, Oasis brings people together to learn, lead and contribute in their communities. The Oasis Institute in St. Louis is the headquarters of a national network that serves a broad audience in more than 250 communities through nine educational centers and over 700 community partners. For more information, visit www.oasisnet.org
About The Corporation for National and Community Service
The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service through its AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs and leads the nation’s volunteering and service efforts. Today, Senior Corps engages approximately 220,000 Americans at 25,000 locations across the nation through its Foster Grandparent, Senior Companion, and RSVP programs. Established in 1971, RSVP engages Americans age 55 and older in citizen service that addresses the nation’s most pressing challenges — everything from fighting the opioid epidemic, reducing crime and reviving cities, connecting veterans to jobs and benefits, preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s jobs, ensuring seniors age independently and with dignity, and helping Americans rebuild their lives following a disaster. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.
