Americorps SeniorsFormerly RSVP of Galveston County

The UTMB Sealy Center on Aging has supported Americorps Seniors (RSVP of Galveston County) since 2002.

Did you know? AmeriCorps’ Volunteering & Civic Life in America research shows 60.7 million Americans volunteered more than 4.1 billion hours of service with an estimated economic value of $122.9 billion. Read more about the research: http://Bit.ly/VCLA2023

Become a Volunteer

Americorps Seniors are volunteers over the age of 55 (known as RSVP volunteers) who engage in a variety of activities throughout Galveston County non-profit agencies. This program has been supported by UTMB’s Sealy Center on Aging for almost 20 years.

As an RSVP volunteer, you will be introduced to a variety of opportunities among non-profits in the community, based on your personal interests and skills. The decision when and where to volunteer is up to you and the needs of the volunteer location. There are no minimum requirements for your volunteer time. We have volunteers who assist with projects once a year (Nia Cultural Center; Alzheimer’s Walk), once a month (Food Bank Distribution), or once a week (Meals on Wheels; Galveston Urban Ministries). For those seeking even more volunteer time, there are opportunities to be a receptionist, checking in those seeking support services (HIS Ministries and MI Lewis). These are just a few examples. RSVP volunteers have helped hurricane/storm victims by mucking out houses that were damaged, assisting with pets who became homeless, or sorting and bagging donated food items for people who are in need. No special skills are required in the majority of volunteer activities.

Contact Us

Sealy Center on Aging Welcomes New Director, Dr. Melissa Morrow

Jul 1, 2025, 10:50 AM by SCOA

A Message from the Interim Senior VP and Dean, JSSOM, and Chief Research Officer

Dear colleagues,

I am pleased to announce that Melissa (Missy) Morrow, PhD, has been appointed Director of the Sealy Center on Aging at The University of Texas Medical Branch. A distinguished scientist, mentor, and leader in the field of rehabilitation research, Dr. Morrow brings a wealth of expertise to her new role.

Dr. Morrow currently serves as Co-Director of the NIA funded P30 Claude D. Pepper Older Adults Independence Center (Pepper OAIC), and she holds the A. Russell Shearn Moody Distinguished Chair in Neurological Rehabilitation. She is a Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences at UTMB’s School of Health Professions.

Her research focuses on improving daily function, independence, and quality of life for individuals with physical disabilities. A biomechanist and rehabilitation scientist, Dr. Morrow integrates wearable technologies, motion capture systems, and mHealth tools in her work to better understand and enhance physical function in real-world settings.

Dr. Morrow earned her PhD in Biomedical Engineering and a Master of Clinical and Translational Science from Mayo Clinic, and a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Tulane University. She completed postdoctoral and early career faculty training in rehabilitation and women’s health research through prestigious NIH-supported T32 and K12 programs.

A recipient of multiple NIH, DoD, and VA grants, Dr. Morrow has led innovative studies on technology development for injury prevention and functional assessment in aging and disability. She is a nationally recognized leader whose work bridges engineering, clinical research, and translational science.

Under Dr. Morrow’s leadership, the Sealy Center on Aging will also serve as a driving force behind UTMB’s newly launched Healthy Aging and Technology (Age-Tech) Initiative, supported by a two-year, $5 million grant from the State of Texas. This ambitious initiative aims to develop and implement intelligent home-based technologies that enable older adults to safely “age in place.”

While nursing home care remains essential for some, many older Americans prefer to remain in their own homes. Age-Tech will accelerate the deployment of solutions in areas such as fall detection, indoor air quality, medication management, robotic assistance, and home-based rehabilitation.

We also extend our sincere appreciation to Dr. Alan Landay, Vice President of Team Science at UTMB and Professor in the Departments of Internal Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology, for his outstanding service as Director ad interim of the Sealy Center on Aging over the past year. His leadership helped maintain momentum in the center’s research mission, and we thank him for his dedication and service during this time of transition.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Morrow on her appointment as Director of the Sealy Center on Aging. We are grateful for her leadership and commitment to advancing aging research, and we look forward to supporting her vision for the center’s continued growth and impact.

Sincerely yours, Antonio Bianco, MD, PhD

RSVP Highlights

RSVP Continues to Help the Community

Alice Williams and Ritchie Adoue have teamed up to be back-up volunteers for the local Meals on Wheels program. Catherine Cooksley, a retired member of the Sealy Center on Aging and volunteer with the RSVP Program, also helps deliver meals. Each month, Ritchie Adoue serves dinner each month at Salvation Army.
RSVP Hosts Conference

"I have volunteered with Ritchie Adoue and the RSVP program for over 15 years. During that time, I have seen her bring people together, not only as volunteers, but as community members with a vision for a better world. Ritchie’s positive impact on others was most recently apparent as she coordinated the 2020 Texas Senior Corps Association Conference here in Galveston on February 26 – 28, 2020. This annual statewide gathering boasted the largest turnout to date, with 82 Senior Corps leaders in attendance. With the theme “Ready, Willing, and Able” as her guide, Ritchie not only recruited qualified speakers but also coordinated the facility, meals and special activities for everyone to enjoy. She also hosted Deborah Cox-Roush, the National Director for Senior Corps from Washington, D.C." - Alice Williams, UTMB
Community Information Event

Representatives from Galveston County non-profit organizations and the RSVP Volunteer Program presented about ongoing volunteer opportunities on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at Moody Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, Galveston, TX. Members of the community age 55 or older were invited to attend this free event. Presentations were given about Gulf Coast Center - Veteran Support Services, HIS Ministries, Libbie's Place Senior Day Program, MI Lewis, City of Santa Fe Resiliency Center and others.
Nonviolence and Peace Workshop

On July 12th, 2018, Ramona Benton, RSVP Volunteer, along with her team, conducted a one-day workshop about non-violence and peace by virtue of Dr. Martin Luther King's teachings. RSVP Director, Ritchie Adoue received her certificate of participation. Ramona will be scheduling another workshop in the future on behalf of RSVP. Harold Love, the youngest presenter team member, is the grandson of a 90 year-old RSVP volunteer.
Reopening of MI Lewis Social Service Center

The MI Lewis Social Service Center food pantry held its grand re-opening ceremony on July 9th, 2018. The pantry is one of the RSVP volunteer locations and was completely destroyed by Hurricane Harvey. Ritchie Adoue, Director, RSVP Volunteer Program thanks everyone who supported the food pantry for their generous support!
Meeting US Representative Gabby Giffords

“Proud of RSVP Director Ritchie Adoue meeting with Gabby Giffords to talk about the work her RSVP vol[unteer]s are doing in Santa Fe as they heal from the recent shooting tragedy.” - CNCS Texas Office Tweet
Harvey Recovery
Geriatrics and Medicine Services at UTMB, SCoA staff & RSVP Volunteers supported Harvey relief with help with clean up and donations for those affected by the hurricane.
Poverty Simulation
The RSVP Senior Volunteer Program at SCoA sponsored a one-day Poverty Simulation on March 15, 2017 that gave over 90 participants the opportunity to experience a month living in poverty. Overall, 68% of attendees reported an increase in their level of understanding of the circumstances of poverty after participating in the simulation. Some comments included, "I was surprised how fast I jumped into a role of survival" and "I was confused by the places I had to go, the coldness of trying to get help and the desperation I felt". Thanks to Ritchie Adoue, Program Director for the RSVP program and Rob Ruffner with GCMAP for organizing this event.
Mayor's Day of Recognition
Galveston area mayors proclaim April 7th, 2015 as the first annual Day of Recognition Honoring Volunteer and Community Service. Special thanks to Ritchie Adoue!