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Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-102

§5000 Statement of Purpose

Title 42 › CHAPTER 66 — DOMESTIC VOLUNTEER SERVICES › SUBCHAPTER II — NATIONAL SENIOR SERVICE CORPS › § 5000

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates volunteer opportunities for people 55 or older to help with education, public safety, emergencies, health and human services, and the environment. It sets up the National Senior Service Corps—the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, the Foster Grandparent Program, the Senior Companion Program, and related demonstration programs—to let older adults serve and improve lives. RSVP lets people 55 or older share skills; the Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs give low-income people 55 or older ways to help children or support other older adults.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §5000

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

It is the purpose of this subchapter to provide—
(1)opportunities for senior service to meet unmet local, State, and national needs in the areas of education, public safety, emergency and disaster preparedness, relief, and recovery, health and human needs, and the environment;
(2)for the National Senior Service Corps, comprised of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, the Foster Grandparent Program, and the Senior Companion Program, and demonstration and other programs, to empower people 55 years of age or older to contribute to their communities through service, enhance the lives of those who serve and those whom they serve, and provide communities with valuable services;
(3)opportunities for people 55 years of age or older, through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, to share their knowledge, experiences, abilities, and skills for the betterment of their communities and themselves;
(4)opportunities for low-income people 55 years of age or older, through the Foster Grandparents Program, to have a positive impact on the lives of children in need; and
(5)opportunities for low-income people 55 years of age or older, through the Senior Companion Program, to provide support services and companionship to other older individuals through volunteer service.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2009—Pub. L. 111–13 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section set forth a statement of purposes regarding the National Senior Volunteer Corps. 1993—Par. (1). Pub. L. 103–82, §§ 341(b)(1), 342(b), substituted “National Senior Volunteer Corps” for “Older American Volunteer Programs” and “Retired and Senior Volunteer Program” for “retired senior volunteer program”. Par. (2). Pub. L. 103–82, § 342(b), substituted “Retired and Senior Volunteer Program” for “retired senior volunteer program”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2009 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 111–13 effective Oct. 1, 2009, see section 6101(a) of Pub. L. 111–13, set out as a note under section 4950 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1993 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 103–82 effective Oct. 1, 1993, see section 392 of Pub. L. 103–82, set out as a note under section 4951 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 5000

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102