Good Morning Prince William - Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and ACTS Hunger Prevention Center wants your assistance during Operation Give Thanks (formerly Operation Turkey) to ensure that every family receives a Thanksgiving meal this year! Their goal is to reach 1,000 families. Volunteer opportunities are available October 19-November 26. Please contact Shirley at: scouteau@actspwc.org, (703) 441-8606 ext. 212 to schedule your volunteer activity and learn more.
- The 2020 Virginia Governor's Volunteer Awards program is looking for nominations in a host of different categories including youth, senior, young adult, adult, family, corporate, faith-based, education and community organization. Please nominate your volunteers online at: virginiaservice.virginia.gov by December 6th.
- Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE) is holding presentations for elementary age students October 30, 31, and November 1 at Windy Knoll Farm, 11602 Kettle Run Road, Nokesville 20181. The time frame is 9am-1pm. Volunteers age 18+ are needed all three days to assist with four stations concerning the environment. On the job training is provided, and it looks like great fun! Please contact Pam at: mwee@pwswcd.org to sign up and learn more.
- House of Mercy kicks off their Annual Campaign to End Hunger on Saturday November 2nd, 8am-5pm. Come work 2 hours and donate $25 to feed 500 people. It's a great way to gather your friends and family to participate in this fun event. You can also volunteer to help for free! Please visit their website for more info at: houseofmercyva.org/campaign-to-end-hunger/.
- The wonderful staff at Prince William Conservation Alliance is planting trees at Silver Lake Park, 16198 Silver Lake Road, Haymarket 20169 on November 2, 9am-12pm and needs volunteers! They're planting 11 large trees along the entrance drive and 135 small trees near the picnic area. It's family-friendly, please RSVP to: https://treeplantingsilverlake.eventbrite.com. Wear long sleeves, long pants, and closed toed shoes appropriate for digging; bring water to drink. Rest rooms available. Be prepared to get dirty and have fun! Questions? Please email: alliance@pwconserve.org or call 703.490.5299.
- Prince William SPCA is helping ACTS provide safe and healthy food for Fido and Fluffy this Thanksgiving! Volunteers are needed to collect pet food and/or to assist with filling pet goodie bags. Collections can start now and may be dropped off any time in the collection box at the Prince William County Government Center's McCoart Building, 1 County Complex Court, Prince William. Volunteers will help make up the goodie bags that will be distributed with Operation Turkey meals. The pet food drive runs until November 9th; final collection bagging will be held at the Government Center. Please email: pwspca@pwspca.org for more information or sign up.
- The fun staff at Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District are holding a Stream Cleanup near Costco on November 16, 9am-12pm. Meet in the parking lot at 10671 Sudley Manor Drive, Manassas 20109. Volunteers as young as 6 are welcome to participate and earn some service hours while keeping the environment clean! Please register online at: http://bit.ly/2VT7JlV or call (571) 379-8213 to learn more.
- Catholic Charities is looking for volunteer ESOL teachers for Hogar Education's winter semester which runs December 2, 2019-March 5, 2020. Classes are held on Tuesday and Thursdays, 9am-12pm and 6:30pm-9:30pm, as well as Saturday mornings 10am- 12pm. Volunteers can commit to teach one class per week! Training will be provided November 23, 10am-2pm, at 8251 Shoppers Square, Manassas, VA 20111. Interested volunteers can sign up at: https://volunteer.samaritan.com/recruiter/501/OppDetails/1164/ESOL-Teachers-Manassas/. Please email: Wood@ccda.net for more information.
- Brain Injury Services needs someone to befriend a stroke survivor by "tinkering" and talking old cars once a month at his home in Alexandria. Please contact Michelle at: mthyen@braininjurysvcs.org or call 703-451-8881, ext. 232.
- Giving Tuesday, held the first Tuesday following Thanksgiving, is adding a new facet of their program: Giving Tuesday Kids! On Giving Tuesday, December 3, kids worldwide will lead volunteer projects, acts of kindness, and epic givebacks, proving that everyone has the power to make change in their communities. Please visit: givingtuesdaykids.org for more information and a list of suggested projects.
- The Salvation Army is gearing up for their Christmas Kettle program and needs volunteers to ring the kettle bell at various locations around the community. It's a great opportunity for a club, family or office to job share this to bring extra joy to those in need in the community. Please call Sgt. Rowe at (703) 580-8991 to learn more.
- The SERVE Family Shelter is looking for volunteer groups to prepare and serve meals to the residents in the shelter. This is a fun job for a small group to get together to feed about 90 residents. You can prepare the meal at home and bring it in or use their great kitchen. SERVE needs the following dates filled: December 22nd for brunch, December 23rd for brunch, December 24th for dinner, December 25th for dinner, December 27th for brunch, December 30th for brunch and dinner and December 31st for brunch and dinner. Please call Julie at (571) 748-2674 to learn more.
- Prince William Food Rescue is looking for a volunteer to manage large donations from big box stores. Duties include going to the donation site, reporting back what what's donated, split up the donation and remain there until other volunteers arrive to take the donations to their individual sites. Please email Claire at: cduncan@actspwc.org to learn more.
- The American Heart Association is gearing up for the Heart Walk on November 2nd on the National Mall. Volunteers are needed throughout the day. Please register on: www.greaterwashingtonheartwalk.org.
- SERVE has an urgent need for volunteer Food Assistance Specialists age 16+ in their food warehouse on weekdays. Tasks include prepare food packages, welcome/assist clients, check out clients, stock shelves, etc. Must be able to lift up to 30 pounds. Spanish speaking is a plus. It's a small but mighty team of volunteers relieving hunger in the community! Please contact Navara at: ncannon@nvfs.org for more information.
- NAMI - National Alliance on Mental Illness needs volunteers to share their lived experience of mental health condition as they gear up for the new Ending the Silence Program in area middle and high schools. Please call Pat at (703) 992-5708 to learn more.
- The American Red Cross is recruiting volunteers to help with blood drives, present disaster preparedness to elementary age kids, promote Red Cross school clubs and supporting other volunteers in the community. Please call (703) 584-8444 to learn more.
- The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program is looking for volunteers age 55+ to drive veterans or spouses to their doctor's appointments. It's very easy to help these individuals get the care they need while remaining in their homes. RSVP members receive a mileage reimbursement and additional insurance coverage at no cost to the volunteer. Please call Jan at (571) 292-5307 to learn more.
If you are looking for other opportunities, please don't forget to call my wonderful team at Volunteer Prince William. Jan can help you with the Retired and Senior Volunteer (RSVP) opportunities at (703) 369-5292 ext. 1 and Bonnie can help you with opportunities available in Disaster Preparedness at (703) 369-5292 ext. 3. Please visit our website at www.volunteerprincewilliam.org. Thanks so much for all you do in our community.
