Send notes to the Connection at south@connectionnewspapers.com or call 703-917-6459. Deadline is Friday. Dated announcements should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event.
Speak up for a Child. Saturday, Aug. 9, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Fairfax Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is hosting an information session at the Burke Centre Library, 5935 Freds Oak Road, Burke. Learn more about advocating for abused or neglected children, call 703-273-3526, extension 22 or e-mail ekosarin@casafairfax.org.
The Shepherd’s Center of Fairfax-Burke is looking for adult volunteers for its new "Friendly Caller" service designed to reach out to older adults in the community. Volunteers will provide companionship to participating older adults by calling once a week at a regularly scheduled time for an informal chat. To participate or volunteer, call 703-323-4788. Training will be provided.
City of Fairfax Advisory Board Volunteers sought. Applications are currently being accepted for vacancies on the Board of Architectural Review, the Commission on Women, the Economic Development Authority, the Fairfax Community Criminal Justice Board, the Fairfax / Falls Church Community Services Board, Historic Fairfax Inc. and the Planning Commission. Unless otherwise noted, applicants must have at least one year of living in the city, as well as being registered to vote in the city. Call 703-385-385-7935.
Fairfax County Needs Volunteer Advocates to promote the quality of life and care for people living in Fairfax County nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Volunteers are assigned to a specific facility and spend four hours per week (two during the weekday) meeting with residents. Good diplomacy and communication skills are essential. Training takes place Sept. 15, 16 and 26. Contact the Northern Virginia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program at 703-324-5422, or TTY: 703-449-1186 or www.fairfaxcounty.gov/LTCOmbudsman.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic, a non-profit organization that fulfills the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions, has a critical need for bilingual (Spanish-English) volunteers. Bilingual volunteers are specifically needed to serve as wish granters, interview interpreters and document translators. Time commitment is ongoing but flexible. For more, contact the Make-A-Wish Foundation at 301-962-9474.
Language Access Coordinator seeks bilingual speakers of foreign languages for the Fairfax County Office of County Executive to serve as volunteer verifiers of translated government documents. After training, interviewing and testing, volunteers can review for accuracy the many documents that are routinely translated for public distribution. To qualify, participants must have e-mail access, as most of this work can be done from home, and a good command of written English and be able to speak the appropriate language. Contact Angie Carrera at 703-324-2531 or by e-mail at angie.carrera@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Project SUCCESS is seeking donations for items to put into transition bags for children who are moving from their homes into the foster care system without notice. The transition bags are canvas bags filled with items for girls and boys ages newborn to 18. All donated items must be new. Items such as soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, school supplies, paperback books, key chains, pajamas, underwear and socks, small stuffed animals and toiletries will help make the transition easier for all. Call Mary Wolf at 703-425-6240. TTY 703-222-9693.
The Fairfax Area Agency on Aging seeks Meals on Wheels drivers to deliver meals to older adults Monday-Friday between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. The job involves picking up meals at a designated site and delivering them by 1 p.m. Volunteer drivers may choose to deliver on a daily, weekly, monthly, or substitute basis. For information call 703-324-5406, TTY: 703-449-1186 or e-mail DFSAAAvolunteer@fairfaxcounty.gov.
United Community Ministries needs volunteers and donations in several areas. These include:
* Tutors to work with elementary-school aged children. Spanish is helpful but not required. Spanish speaking volunteers are needed to help adult Hispanic clients with resume writing. Contact: Sue Kelley, volunteer program manager at United Community Ministries, 703-768-7106, ext. 326. Visit www.ucmagency.org.
* Donations of food or hygiene items. Donations can be made through a church or community organization or drop off donations at 7511 Fordson Road, Alexandria, Monday-Friday, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. UCM can schedule pickups for donations of food by churches or other organizations. Contact Cecelia Vergaretti, 703-768-7106, ext. 326.
* Drivers to transport food to United Community Ministries' clients who are disabled or ill and are unable to make it to the Food Closet. Each volunteer would have to commit to one hour per week for at least a three-month period. Contact Cecelia Vergaretti at 703-768-7106 x326.
* Tutors for the Journey’s Program for a GED student who is currently working part-time and would like to apply to Northern Virginia Community College’s health profession program after obtaining her GED. For more information, contact Teresa Quinn at 703-768-7106 x318.
* A computer tutor who enjoys interacting with senior citizens to teach computer classes one day or evening a week for two hours. A small stipend is available for this volunteer position. For more information contact Jacque Lester at 703-768-7106 x339.
Volunteer tutors needed for day and evening hours to work one-to-one with adult learners in public libraries and adult learning classrooms throughout Fairfax County. VLP is a joint community project sponsored by the Fairfax County Public Schools Adult and Community Education. For more training dates and locations, call 703-246-2139 or e-mail VLP@fcps.edu.
HCV is seeking adults to work one-on-one with sixth through eighth grade Hispanic students throughout the school year. Mentors help students with school work and offer friendship and advice. Volunteer with "Alianza Escolar" and help change a child's life. Contact Gretchen at 703-671-5666, or e-mail Education_hcv@yahoo.com.
The Healthy Families Fairfax Advisory Council is seeking an experienced professional in communications or marketing to serve as a consultant on a voluntary basis. The council’s mission is to educate residents of the community, service providers and policymakers about the Healthy Families Fairfax program. Call or e-mail Juone Darko at 703-324-7922; TTY 703-222-9452, or juone.darko@fairfaxcounty.gov.
The ASPECT Foundation seeks local families to host foreign exchange students for the upcoming school year. The only request is that the student is provided with a room and family atmosphere. One must have children or teen children in order to host. Those interested may call Robert Rawls at 703-433-0362 for information.
The Angels of Mercy Program is asking Scout, school and church groups to collect new or used CDs and DVDs for its program supporting wounded military at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and at hospitals in Iraq. Call Marian at 703-938-8930 or visit www.mcleanpost270.org/oifoef.
Heatherwood Retirement in Burke is looking for high school or college students for volunteer hours. Contact Anthony at 703-425-1698 or e-mail Cray@childhelp.org.
Sunrise Assisted Living in Fairfax is looking to integrate the community into its home. Anyone ages 14 or older is welcome. Valid toward school community service hours. Call 703-691-0046.
Family practice physicians and nurses (RNs, LPNs, CPNs, nurse practitioners), active or retired, are needed as volunteers in the primary care clinic at NOVA's Medical Education Campus located near Springfield Mall. Hours and days vary. Call Ronda Wright at 703-822-6607 for details.
The Fairfax Mentoring Partnership seeks caring, responsible men to mentor youth weekly. Mentors must be solution-oriented, good listeners who believe that the youth in the community need a hand to guide them. Most mentoring programs require volunteers to commit to at least one to two hours per week with their mentee, for a minimum of one year. E-mail Kristen Brennan at Kristen.brennan@fairfaxcounty.gov, call 703-324-5701, or visit www.mentorfairfax.org.
The Women's Center, a nonprofit agency in Vienna supporting the psychological, career, financial and legal well-being of women and their families regardless of ability to pay, has volunteer opportunities in business operations, development, clinical services and its golf tournament. To sign up to be a volunteer, call 703-281-2657 or visit www.thewomenscenter.org.
Fairfax FISH (For Immediate Sympathetic Help) is an ecumenical outreach program begun in 1975 that responds to requests from local citizens who are in temporary need of life's basic necessities. For more information or to volunteer, visit www.fairfaxfish.org, e-mail fairfaxfish@yahoo.com or call chair Joe Christiansen at 703-971-7803. Services include:
* Food pantries operated by six member churches
* Clothing Closet at Fairfax Presbyterian Church, 10723 Main St., Fairfax. Open 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, first Saturday of each month.
Crisislink, the greater Washington region's only 24/7 crisis, suicide and trauma prevention, intervention & response hotline, seeks volunteers to take calls and respond directly to individuals in need on a suicide and crisis hotline. Visit www.crisislink.org and complete the online application or call 703-527-4077 to volunteer.
Inova VNA Home Health is recruiting volunteers to act as friendly visitors to provide companionship to lonely, homebound patients in Alexandria location only. Volunteers are asked to spend one to two hours per week talking with a patient, running errands and doing odd jobs. Visiting can be done either during the day, in the evening or on the weekend as the volunteer's schedule allows. Training will be provided. Contact Marion Hart or Adele Jenney at 703-916-2885.
Volunteers are needed at the Lamb Center at Fairfax Circle, an organization that serves the homeless, Monday-Friday, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; and on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to noon. Call 703-267-6801.
Fairfax County Foster Care and Adoption Program is seeking homes for children in need. In addition to free training, foster parents may receive monthly financial assistance for the expenses of the child in their care. Call 703-324-7639 to help.
Volunteer language interpreters are needed for the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court to assist court staff and clients. Criminal background check required. Fluency is required in both English and another language. A commitment to one weekly four-hour shift during business hours 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for at least six months is needed. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age. Call Sharon Harrington, volunteer services coordinator, at 703-246-2697, TTY 703-273-3713, or e-mail sharon.harrington@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Miracle on Wheels provides Power Wheelchairs to non-ambulatory seniors usually at no expense and without a deposit. The wheelchairs are provided to seniors who are not able to walk and cannot use a manual wheelchair. Call 1-800-749-8778 or visit www.durablemedical.com.
Heartland Hospice in Fairfax is looking for caring and dedicated people with an interest in serving the terminally ill hospice patients and their families. Volunteers offer companionship to patients through friendly visits while others assist with clerical services in the Fairfax office. Training is provided. Contact the volunteer coordinator at 703-273-8693.
The Center of Multicultural Human Services in Burke seeks volunteers to help a student with organizing and studying in several school subjects, especially physics. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and volunteer at least two hours a week. Call Ellen Klene at 703-533-3302, ext. 107.
Fairfax County Police Department is seeking volunteers who are interested in becoming Auxiliary Police Officers. APOs are trained to perform a variety of operational support and administrative duties, which include patrol, traffic control, security of prisoners, communications, desk assignments, fingerprinting, crime prevention and special events. To apply, obtain a brochure or additional information about the Fairfax County Auxiliary Police Unit, call 703-280-0576.
Local dry-cleaning company Crest Cleaners has partnered with Dress for Success to help bring professional training and clothing to low-income women. Individuals can bring their gently worn women’s suits and business separates to the following Crest locations, where they will be cleaned and pressed before being collected by Dress for Success. For more, visit www.crestcleaners.com:
* Hayfield Shopping Center, 7560 Telegraph Road, Alexandria
* Kingstowne Shopping Center, 876 Kingstowne Blvd., Alexandria
* Burke Centre Shopping Center, 5725 Burke Centre Parkway, Burke
* Burke Centre Town Center, 6025-F Burke Centre Parkway, Burke
* Colonnade at Union Mall, 5472 Union Mill Road, Clifton
* Huntsman Square Shopping Center, 7545 Huntsman Blvd., Springfield
* Kings Park, 8958 Burke Lake Road, Burke.
The Inova Heart and Vascular Institute is seeking volunteers to help patients and visitors as well as hospital staff. To learn more about volunteering at the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute or to apply, please call Volunteer Services at 703-776-3447 or visit www.inova.org, and click on How Can I Help?
Northern Virginia Family Service seeks area residents to become a foster care providers to neglected children with special needs. NVFS helps families get the most out of foster/respite care experience by providing intensive training, certification and continuing education; careful child/parent matching and more. Register now for summer training. Call Ginny at 703-219-2184.
CHAMPS seeks mentors, volunteers who provide the children of Northern Virginia prisoners with friendship, recreational activities and constructive example. Contact Ellen Klene at 703-533-3302 ext. 107 or eklene@cmhs.org.
The Nurturing Parenting Program, offered by Fairfax County’s Department of Family Services with volunteer support from local community organizations, businesses and faith-based groups, provides parenting classes to promote the strengthening of families and the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Call 703-324-7745, (TTY: 703-222-9452) or e-mail at kslone@fairfaxcounty.gov. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/service/dfs/factsheets/NurturingParenting.htm.
The City of Fairfax seeks volunteers to assist with special events, including the Fall Festival, Holiday Craft Show and Festival of Lights and Carols in 2008. Call Leslie Herman at 703-385-7949 or e-mail lherman@fairfaxva.gov.
Fairfax County Park Authority seeks volunteers to document and evaluate the quality of service provided by RECenters in response to telephone inquiries. The volunteer makes anonymous calls from home or from headquarters to "shop" each RECenter or facility as a customer. Must be at least 21-years-old, attend orientations, six-month commitment. Call Lizaneth Lecca at 703-324-5480 or e-mail lizaneth.lecca@fairfaxcounty.gov.
ESL and Immigrant Ministries needs volunteers to teach English as a second language to adult immigrants in 16 locations in Northern Virginia. Training provided. Day and evening classes begin in September. For more information or for an application, visit www.eslim.org, e-mail eslim02@gmail.com or call 703-271-8341, ext. 3, and leave a message.
The Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court seeks volunteers in the following capacities. All volunteers must undergo a criminal background check by law. Call 703-246-2697 or e-mail sharon.harrington@fairfaxcounty.gov.
* Assist crime victims of juvenile offenders. Minimum commitment of a one, four-hour shift a week, between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., as well as a consistent work week for six months.
* Meet with families after the hearings. Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply. A six-month commitment is needed.
* Interview defendants and assist in processing paperwork to determine eligibility for court-appointed attorneys. Training is provided by the court clerk's office.
The Fairfax County Victim Assistance Network (VAN), a program of the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, requests volunteers to be sexual assault and domestic abuse crisis hotline counselors. Required training begins in October on Wednesday evenings and two Saturdays. This volunteer opportunity can be done from home. Male and female volunteers, bilingual and bicultural volunteers are welcomed. For more information or to apply call VAN at 703-360-7273 (24 hours) or TTY 703-799-8253.
The Orphan Foundation of America (OFA) seeks volunteers to serve as virtual mentors for youth transitioning out of foster care into college and post secondary education. Through a secure Internet portal, mentors communicate with their mentees at any time around the clock. About an hour per week, ages 25 or older, background check required. Training provided. Two-year commitment. Visit www.orphan.org for more information or call 571-203-0270.
Odyssey Healthcare, a hospice provider, seeks volunteers in the Northern Virginia community to visit and/or assist terminally ill patients and their families during their end of life journey. Opportunities open to those who have compassion, desire to help one to two hours a week, share with a patient or their family, assist with office support or help with bereavement care. Training is provided. Call Carol Morrison at 703-821-9200.
AARP Virginia needs volunteers to help with election activities and events in Northern Virginia. Election activities include assisting with AARP-sponsored candidate forums, exhibiting campaign materials at local colleges and places of worship and more. Contact Brian Jacks at bjacks@aarp.org or call 804-344-3047.
CrisisLink's 24/7/365 hotline for the Washington Metro Region is currently recruiting volunteers for their October training. Go to www.crisislink.org, e-mail volunteer@crisislink.org or call 703-527-6016.
Volunteer Emergency Families For Children (VEFC) needs volunteers willing to open their homes and provide short-term emergency shelter (one-21 days) to local children who are victims of abuse, neglect, etc. Volunteers can choose the age, gender, and length of stay for each placement. Most requests in this area are for five-seven day stays. Call 703-969-3795 or e-mail mmiller@vefc.org for more information.
ESL and Immigrant Ministries needs volunteers to teach English to adult immigrants in 17 locations in Northern Virginia. Training begins in August. Day and evening classes begin in September. For more information or to submit an online application, visit http://eslim.org.
AmeriCorps members provide tutoring, build homes, and respond to natural disasters. Members receive education awards to help pay for college expenses while receiving valuable work experience through organizations like Habitat for Humanity and Big Brothers, Big Sisters. Visit www.VAservice.org.