Know of something missing from our volunteer listings? Send it to The Arlington Connection, e-mail it to arlington@connectionnewspapers.com, mail to 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102, or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is 2 p.m. the Thursday before publication. Call Rebecca Halik at 703-917-6407 with any questions. Photos are welcome.
The Volunteer Office needs participants to help test Arlington County's Volunteer Management systems during a simulated public health emergency on Saturday, Oct. 21 from 9 a.m.-noon at the Fenwick Center, 800 S. Walter Reed Drive, Arlington. Participants will enact registering as "spontaneous" volunteers or help with volunteer management during simulation of a pandemic flu disaster scenario. Refreshments will be provided. Volunteers should sign up in advance for arrival times of either 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. Sign-up http://volunteer.united-e-way.org/acvo/survey/publichealth to register. Participants should bring a government-issued ID card.
Doorways for Women and Families provides a safe, weekly, confidential domestic violence support group. The support group helps current and former victims of domestic violence share feelings, thoughts and information to make healthy life choices and end abuse. For more information call 703-237-0881. Meetings are held Tuesdays.
Volunteer Emergency Families For Children (VEFC) needs volunteers willing to open their homes and provide short term (1-21 days) emergency shelter to local children who are victims of abuse, neglect, etc. Volunteers can choose the age, gender, and length of stay for each placement. Call 703-969-3795 or email MMiller@VEFC.org. Visit us on the web at: www.VEFC.org.
The Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross is seeking volunteers to assist its blood collections staff at blood drives and blood donor centers. Volunteers will assist with providing a high level of customer service to donors, and with caring for donors in the refreshment area after the donation process. This position is offered to people who are 14 or older. Training is provided. A commitment of two or more blood operations each month is requested. Blood drives last 4.5-6 hours and are held daily throughout the Potomac area. To register for training, please call the American Red Cross Volunteer Office at 1-800-272-0094, ext 1, or e-mail karlofft@usa.redcross.org.
"Voices of Children” Volunteer Project. This volunteer opportunity requires: a commitment to 8 weekly therapeutic groups for two hours; an interest in learning about group work with children; Lots of patience and a sense of humor. Contact the Arlington County Volunteer Office at 703-228-1760 or visit www.volunteersolutions.org/acvo.
The Opera Guild of Northern Virginia needs help archiving historical documents and organizing the history of the guild. Contact the Arlington County Volunteer Office at 703-228-1760 or visit www.volunteersolutions.org/acvo.
Four to six volunteers are needed to tutor Latino day laborers on basic English. Many of the day laborers who come to the Shirlington Employment & Education Center (SEEC) are looking for work, but do not speak or understand English. Contact the Arlington County Volunteer Office at 703-228-1760 or visit www.volunteersolutions.org/acvo.
The Alexandria/Arlington Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program is seeking volunteers to speak up for abused and neglected children in court. Volunteers conduct interviews with children, families, and professionals, monitor compliance with court orders, write detailed reports, and represent the best interests of the child in court. Volunteers must complete training and background checks. Volunteers commit to one year with the program. Bilingual volunteers (Spanish/English) are greatly needed. Training begins in late February. Call 703-820-9001 or visit http://www.scanva.org.
Cherry Valley Park Invasive Plant Removal. A great way to get outside and help control invasive plants taking over Cherry Valley Park. Visit http://offices.ext.vt.edu/arlington. For more information on this and other volunteer opportunities, contact the Arlington County Volunteer Office at 703-228-1760 or visit their website at www.volunteersolutions.org/acvo.
The Auxiliary of the Virginia Hospital Center-Arlington, 1701 N. George Mason Drive, Arlington, VA 22205, has openings for volunteers in a variety of patient services, daytime and weekends. Call June Breen at 703-620-2944.
CRISISLINK, the greater Washington region's only 24/7 crisis, suicide and trauma prevention, intervention and response hotline, is seeking volunteers to take calls and respond directly to individuals in need on a suicide and crisis hotline. Prospective volunteers must be at least 18 years old. Training starts April 22. Visit the Web site and complete the online application. Call 703-527-6016 or visit www.crisislink.org.
Leadership Arlington is looking for leaders who have a strong commitment to strengthening and building the community. This program provides an opportunity for people to enhance leadership skills and broaden their knowledge of issues and opportunities facing Arlington County. The deadline for applicants is noon, Monday, May 15. Call 703-528-2522 or visit www.leadershiparlington.org.
The Alexandria/Arlington Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program is seeking volunteers to speak up for abused and neglected children in court. Volunteers conduct interviews with children, families, and professionals, monitor compliance with court orders, write detailed reports, and represent the best interests of the child in court. Volunteers must complete training and background checks. Volunteers commit to one year with the program. Bilingual volunteers (Spanish/English) are greatly needed. Training begins in late February. Call 703-820-9001 or visit www.scanva.org.
World Heritage Student Exchange program is seeking local host families for high school boys and girls from Spain, France, Germany, Thailand, Japan, Mexico, Switzerland, Denmark and Italy. Students are already awaiting word on their host family for the 2006-2007 academic school year. host families provide room, board and guidance for a teenager living thousands of miles from home. Call 800-888-9040 or visit www.world-heritage.org.
Volunteer Emergency Families for Children is looking for volunteer families to provide temporary shelter for children. Training provided Call Marybeth Miller at 703-969-3795 or visit www.vefc.org.
Foster Care Informational Meeting- Adolescent and Family Growth Center Inc. will be open from 5-7 p.m. to give an overview of Treatment Foster Care with AFGC. Social Workers will be available to speak with anyone interested in foster parenting. Come find out more about foster care in Northern Virginia. Call 703-425-9200 or visit www.afgcinc.com.
The Arlington County Chapter of the American Red Cross has received a $5,923 grant on behalf of the ExxonMobil Employees’ Favorite Charities Campaign to fund local disaster relief services as well as the other programs of the Arlington Chapter, including emergency communications for military families, international tracing services and Eldercare, a medical appointment and grocery shopping transportation program for senior citizens.
These programs are designed to assist families with immediate emergency needs following a disaster such as a house fire. Victims of such disasters are provided with temporary housing, replacement of urgent medical supplies, food and clothing, depending on their unique emergency needs. Emergency communications from local families with loved ones serving in the U.S. military are provided when there is an urgent need such as a serious illness or death in the family. All emergency services are provided around the clock and around the world. International tracing services connect families separated by war or conflict. Volunteer drivers in the Eldercare program take mobility-challenged senior citizens to medical appointments and to local groceries. Employees and Exxon Mobil Corporation contributed over $1,900,000 to support hundreds of different non-profit organizations.
Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry is recruiting volunteers to be a friend and a mentor to a child affected/infected by HIV/AIDS. NOVAM matches a qualified adult with a child to spend time together doing fun things like movies, museums, biking, etc. twice a month. There are 15 children on the waiting list waiting. Only four hours of volunteers' time a month. The Pals Mentoring Program is a great way to make a difference in a child’s life. Email jbeddoe@novam.org. Volunteers must be 21 years or older, have their own transportation and complete an application process. Training is required.
The 2005 “Scouting for Food” food drive conducted by Arlington Boy Scout troops netted nearly 55,000 pounds of food for hungry families in Arlington County. The food was delivered to the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) and will be distributed in the coming months to families who cannot afford to purchase sufficient food to meet their basic needs. AFAC was founded in 1988 to distribute groceries to needy families in Arlington. Visit www.afacinfo.org. AFAC is located at 2708 S. Nelson St., and the offices can be reached at 703-845-8486.
Wheat's Lawn & Landscape is offering a $1,000 scholarship to one high school senior that is dedicated to serving the local community.
Wheat's Lawn & Landscape's 2006 Student Volunteer Scholarship will be granted to a student that has a proven record of volunteer service. The purpose of the scholarship is to reward students for their volunteer service in an effort to promote youth volunteerism. Application forms can be obtained at www.wheats.com or by calling 703-641-4790. The deadline for accepting scholarship nominations is April 1, 2006. Send nominations to: Wheat's Lawn & Landscape's 2006 Student Volunteer Scholarship, Attn: Mike Wheat, PO Box 6152
McLean, VA 22106.