HomeFriends
HOMEFRIENDS matches volunteers as in-home visitors to disabled children and their families, enhancing the skills and broadening the social worlds of the children while affording their parents much need respite time. Since Homefriends began in 1989, 86 families and 95 children have benefited from Homefriends volunteers. This past year, 11 volunteers spent 1,467 hours visiting Homefriends children. Example:

Phillip is an appealing three year old who has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair. He cannot feed himself and needs a great deal of attention. His mother needs some respite time. RSVP volunteer, Anne, loves children. She visits Phillip every week, plays toys with him and reads to him. On Halloween this past year, Anne accompanied Phillip and his mother to DuPont Hospital in Wilmington. Later, because Phillip’s father had to work, she went to their home to give out candy so that Phillip’s mother could take him out for trick or treat.

The Homefriends program was begun in 1990 to help chronically ill children. It was initially a collaborative venture with Variety Club Camp and Development Center and Temple University’s Center for Intergenerational Learning and was designated a Program of National Significance by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Volunteers sharing friendships with special needs youngsters in their homes, has been an important component of RSVP’s community outreach to this day.

Contact: Lorrie Zabludoff, Intergenerational Program Coordinator at 610-834-1040, ext. 15 or e-mail lorriez@rsvpmc.org.