Call to Action for 01/03/2025
Greetings, Prince William: Happy New Year! As you consider your New Year's resolutions, why not make volunteering a goal for 2025? You can find volunteer opportunities for many of our nonprofit partners on our website, www.volunteerprincewilliam.org. Please remember we also publish Call to Action every Friday and post it on our website and social media pages (Facebook and X). Please email jhawkins@volunteerprincewilliam.org to learn more about how you can get involved.
· Late-Breaking Volunteer Opportunity for 2025: The Prince William Area (PWA) Continuum of Care (CoC) and DSS Homeless Services are preparing for the upcoming 2025 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count on Wednesday, January 22, 10pm through Thursday, January 23, 4am. Volunteers age 18+ are needed to help complete surveys with persons experiencing unsheltered homelessness. All volunteers must attend required virtual training which will be held January 15 and 18 (need to attend only one session). Volunteers will also be provided supplies and equipment to ensure a safe and successful count. A Team Lead with prior outreach experience will be available to volunteers. Your continued support is vital to ensuring a successful PIT count for the Prince William Area. Please visit Volunteer Registration Link (Unsheltered Count) to sign up and get more information, email homelessservices@pwcgov.org with any questions. The deadline to register is January 8. Note: Donations of $20 gift cards from WalMart or Dollar Tree are also needed to thank participants for participating in the survey, please email the above address for more information.
· Here's a meaningful way you can help in 2025 - support our veterans by giving the gift of a lift! Our VETS program has an ongoing need for volunteers age 21+ to provide transportation to local veterans and their spouse on weekdays to medical appointments, shopping, etc. If you're a veteran looking to connect with fellow vets or looking to fill up your day, this is a meaningful experience. Schedules are flexible, and you'll feel great as you provide a ride, a friendly face and help this population meet their needs! Please visit https://bit.ly/4eWwrdB for details, email jhawkins@volunteerprincewilliam.org for more information. This opportunity is made possible by a grant from Potomac Health Foundation.
· Make Volunteering to Teach Adult ESOL Learners Your Resolution for 2025! BEACON for English Language and Literacy needs volunteers to teach English as a Second Language (ESOL) to adult learners during their Winter Session (through February 27). It's a powerful way to give back, foster connections, and help others achieve their dreams! No experience required; training is provided. To start your volunteer journey with BEACON, please sign up for an information session at https://beaconliteracy.org/get.../join-our-volunteer-team/. Please email Seth smazzaro@osbva.orgor call 571.428.2524 to learn more.
· This New Year, you can make a difference in the life of a child! CASA CIS needs volunteers age 21+ who care about children growing up in a safe, permanent and loving home. The staff will hold their next Virtual Information Session on January 8, 2025, 6pm-7pm. Learn how you can help protect abused and neglected children in your community by becoming a volunteer advocate. Please email jpolen@casacis.org or call 703.330.8145 to receive the link to the meeting or to inquire about alternate dates.
· The "Power of A Knock" can help a homebound senior get nutritious meals in 2025! Meals on Wheels urgently needs volunteers to deliver meals to homebound senior citizens on weekday mornings. Volunteers must pass a criminal and driving record background check. Routes take about 1.5 hours to complete, training is provided. You'll feel great when you find out how inspiring it is to serve this vulnerable population and make their day! Please visit www.pwcva.gov/department/area-agency-aging/volunteer for more information and forms. Please email tsolomon@pwcgov.org or call 703.792.4583 to learn more.
· Although hunger never takes a holiday, you can help in this New Year! The SERVE campus of Northern Virginia Family Service has an ongoing need for Food Recovery Driver volunteers age 21+to make routine pick-ups to rescue food from grocery stores and restaurants to help food insecure families. Shifts are Monday-Friday, 8am-12pm; their greatest need is for Monday drivers. Volunteers are asked to commit to at least one shift per week for at least six months or longer. Volunteers must have a valid driver's license and should be prepared to lift up to 50lbs. Ride along training with experienced volunteers or staff and vehicle provided. Just one day a week can make a life-long impact on a family in need! Please email ncannon@nvfs.org to learn more. PS - SERVE also has a need for the following volunteers: Campus Handy-Person, Shelter Tutor's Assistant and Shelter Kitchen Assistant. For these opportunities, please visit www.nvfs.org/get-involved/volunteer/ for more information, contact Vicky at vbonilla@nvfs.org or call 571.748.2716.
· The hard-working staff at Northern Virginia Food Rescue is looking for volunteers who are available to be On-Call to help with offloading large truckloads of food deliveries when they arrive at their warehouse located at 10535 Battleview Parkway, Manassas 20109. This role is vital in ensuring that they can quickly rescue and distribute food to families in need. Volunteers would be on call 7am-6pm with varying delivery times. Communication is done via text message when a delivery is on the way and help is needed. Volunteers should be prepared to lift heavy items. A brief mandatory training will be held for those volunteers selected for this position. You'll feel great knowing you're doing your part to help food-insecure families in our local community! Please text 571.370.3073 to let them know you're interested.
· Your office, group or club can provide the comfort of a hot meal during the winter months in 2025! Streetlight Community Outreach Ministries' hypothermia shelter located at 14716 Potomac Mills Road in Woodbridge has an ongoing need for groups to prepare and drop off meals for 30 adult residents through March 30, 2025. Meals are needed each night and should be prepared off-site and dropped off at the shelter between 6:30pm-7pm. There are still a number of openings in January, and you'll feel great providing a hot, nourishing meal for the homeless to enjoy! Please visit https://bit.ly/3XXR5SR to sign up and get more information, email thermalshelter@thestreetlight.org or call 571.677.2883 to learn more.
If you are looking for other opportunities, please don't forget to call our wonderful team at Volunteer Prince William at 703.369.5292. You can also visit our website at www.volunteerprincewilliam.org. Thanks so much for all you do in our community.
