Tulsa wins $25k to engage adults 50+ into service

(TULSA, Okla.) On Wednesday, Tulsa was announced as a winner of the Cities of Service Experience Matters competition. With support from AARP, Cities of Service will work with Tulsa and five other cities to develop volunteering initiatives that address public problems related to the drivers of poverty. Each city will receive $25,000, technical assistance, and two full-time AmeriCorps VISTA members based in city hall who will build capacity and raise awareness for the initiatives. They will focus on engaging residents 50 and older in program implementation. In Tulsa, citizen volunteers will provide workshops and coaching for older adults with limited incomes to increase self-employment skills and opportunities, improving their financial security. “We are grateful for the opportunity Cities of Service is providing to engage all Tulsans and further our commitment to older residents in ways that impact their financial security by leveraging the skills of experienced community members in assisting others,” said Mayor G.T. Bynum. In addition to funding and technical assistance throughout the duration of the program, Cities of Service and AARP will provide support in recruitment and selection of AmeriCorps VISTA members, pre-program training to ensure fidelity to Cities of Service’s proven citizen engagement model, project design assistance customized to each city, expert and peer learning opportunities through site visits and convenings, and promotion of projects to encourage replication of best practices. “We are thrilled to expand our partnership with AARP through the launch of this new Experience Matters program,” said Myung J. Lee, Cities of Service Executive Director. “Our expertise helping cities engage volunteers combined with AARP’s experience working with adults age 50 and older will allow Tulsa to have a significant impact on some of the issues it is facing related to poverty.” “AARP Oklahoma is pleased to work with the city of Tulsa to help achieve the goals laid out in the Cities of Service Experience Matters program,” said Joe Ann Vermillion, State President for AARP Oklahoma “We know how much experience, expertise and commitment 50+ volunteers bring to the table and think this program presents a great opportunity to engage older adults to make an impact in Tulsa.” The other winning cities are Albuquerque, New Mexico; Birmingham, Alabama; Columbia, South Carolina; Fort Worth, Texas; and Saint Paul, Minnesota.