'Nerds' help Minnesota Senior Corps Association launch new website

Minnesotans 55 and older can now find meaningful volunteer opportunities with the click of a mouse, thanks to a new, state-of-the-art website launched by the Minnesota Senior Corps (MnSC) Association.

All the design work for the site was donated by a team sponsored by Catalyst Studios in Minneapolis during a special event designed to help nonprofits.

Minnesota Senior Corps Association was selected from a field of 50 nonprofit applicants vying to win a new website at no cost to their organization. The website was created during the Overnight Website Challenge, a unique 24-hour event, where more than 100 highly-skilled website developers volunteered to work alongside leaders from 16 nonprofit organizations to design, develop and launch new websites.

The event was organized by Nerdery Interactive Labs, a division of Sierra Bravo Corp, of Bloomington.

Website visitors can watch videos and read heartwarming stories about real volunteers’ experiences, or scan the latest research on the health benefits of volunteering. A special, high-tech feature of the website is its geolocator – a program that automatically detects the county of web visitors and offers them a direct connection to programs in their area. There is contact information for every Senior Corps program in the state as well as a link to each organization’s own website.

The new MnSC Association website can be viewed at www.mnseniorcorps.org.

Senior Corps is a national volunteer program operated under the Corporation for National and Community Service. It’s a network of more than half a million older adults who are making a difference through three programs: Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions and RSVP. Foster Grandparents mentor children, while Senior Companions help older adults live independently. RSVP volunteers choose from a variety of flexible opportunities to help local non-profits meet community needs. All Senior Corps programs provide personalized volunteer placement as well as free supplemental insurance and other benefits.

West Central Minnesota Communities Action, Inc. sponsors the RSVP program in West Central Minnesota and covers the counties of Stevens, Traverse, Grant, Douglas and Pope.

Tags: state news, senior corps association, news, nerds, minnesota, seniors