Press Releases

Realtor Service Volunteer Program Offers Free Assistance to Seniors May 5-10

- For Immediate Release –

Cupertino, CA - Realtors and affiliates with the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® are once again embarking on the annual Realtor Service Volunteer Program (RSVP), which provides seniors and homebound residents who live on the Peninsula or in the South Bay free assistance with household tasks which they cannot perform due to physical or financial constraints. RSVP week is set for May 5-10. The deadline for seniors to request assistance is Saturday, March 15.

The annual hands-on effort is organized each year by local Realtors in cooperation with various community organizations and senior centers. During RSVP Week, teams of Realtor and affiliate volunteers will visit senior citizens and perform various cleaning and household maintenance work free of charge.

“RSVP is one way we can give back to those who have built our communities,” said Eileen Giorgi, chair of SILVAR’s RSVP program. “The program enables us to assist those most in need – seniors and the homebound, with basic and necessary household tasks that insure their safety and help them stay in their homes for a longer period of time.”

Seniors may request to have light bulbs replaced, house numbers installed, furnace filters changed, windows cleaned, mattresses turned or new smoke detector batteries installed. The volunteers also do some light vacuuming, move items from hard-to-reach shelves, rake leaves and trim overgrown hedges for safety.

RSVP was adopted as an official association community outreach project of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® in 2002. The program was expanded to members of the San Mateo County Association of REALTORS® in 2003. The Fresno Association of REALTORS® followed suit three years ago. Last year, the Santa Clara County Association of REALTORS® came on board and offered the free service.

On the Peninsula and in the South Bay, the program now extends from as far north as Daly City to as far south as Gilroy. There are plans to expand the program to more Real-tor Associations in California and around the nation.

In 2007, 570 Realtors and affiliates provided free help to nearly 400 home¬owners. In the SILVAR’s five districts alone, 345 volunteers helped 208 senior residents.

“This year we hope to significantly increase the number of our Realtor and affiliate volunteers, as well as seniors who need assistance,” said Eileen Giorgi, RSVP Committee Chair.

Homeowners or renters who are advanced in years, disabled or otherwise challenged and live in the communities of Atherton, Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, Woodside, Portola Valley, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Saratoga, Monte Sereno and Los Gatos may apply for services by contacting the SILVAR office at (408) 200-0100 for information and an application before the March deadline.

The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.

The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

For further information, please contact Rose Meily at SILVAR Public Affairs, e-mail , or phone (408) 200-0109.

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