Janet Sainer, a pioneer in the field of aging and intergenerational programs developed the concept of using senior volunteers. Mrs. Sainer was a wife and mother when she began her social work career in the early 1950s. She worked at the Community Service Society of New York and began utilizing seniors, believing that they would volunteer if given the opportunity. With the support of her employer and private foundation funding, Mrs. Sainer developed a pilot project called SERVE (Serve and Enrich Retirement by Volunteer Experience) in 1965. She recruited seniors from senior centers on Staten Island and began pairing them with patients at Willowbrook, a large institution for the mentally retarded.

In time, hundreds of seniors began volunteering regularly through SERVE. Working with researchers, Janet conducted a study of the program, which was published in her book entitled "SERVE." She testified before Congress to get funding for paid staff to develop volunteer programs. In 1969, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program was created as a volunteer program of the Administration on Aging under an amendment to the Older Americans Act. The name was changed to the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program in 1993. The program is part of the National Senior Service Corps and is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Janet Sainer is referred to as the 'Grandmother of RSVP.'

In 1973, Rockland Community College received approval to operate a Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, the first community college in the country to sponsor the program. RSVP of Rockland County now has more than 800 members actively assisting non-profit agencies and county government, providing services to more than 100,000 residents. Last year RSVP members served more than 115,000 hours.