Send volunteer notices to gazette@connectionnewspapers.com or call Rebecca Halik with any questions 703-917-6407.
There will be a volunteer management boot camp from 9 a.m.-noon in Alexandria. Part of Volunteer Fairfax. Visit www.volunteerfairfax.org, and click on "Training Registration" on the left-hand side. The fee for this session is $35. For more information, e-mail Emily Gibbs at egibbs@volunteerfairfax.org.
UCM's Transitional Housing Program is looking for volunteer groups to help provide a prepared well balanced meal for about 60 people, this includes children. Groups would be asked to sign up for 1 meeting per year on the third Tuesday evening of each month. The grocery bill would be at the group's expense and a tax donation slip would be provided. Assistance with child care is needed. Call Betsy Damitz, volunteer coordinator 703-768-7106 ext. 328.
The Child & Family Network Centers has many volunteer opportunities, including volunteering in classrooms, field-trip assistants, ESL and Spanish language tutors, clothing drive assistant and office assistant. They also need volunteers to help prepare for their annual wine tasting fundraising event in the spring. Contact Patricia Chapman at 703-836-0214 or pchapman@cfnc-online.org.
Higher Achievement seeks teacher mentors to work with motivated scholars at Hammond Middle School from 6-8 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Karen Berry, Volunteer Coordinator, 202-544-3633 or kberry@higherachievement.org
The Hispanic Committee of Virginia needs volunteers for their youth programs, including volunteers to mentor Hispanic teenagers and for "Arroz Con Leche," a weekly reading and writing enrichment program for immigrant 2nd and 3rd graders. Spanish language proficiency is not required, training and support is available, and average commitment is just 1-2 hours/week. Contact Jodi Hammer at 703-671-5666, ex. 20, or educationcoord@hcva.org.
Project Northstar needs volunteers to tutor children who live in homeless shelters, transitional housing programs and foster care. Project Northstar matches adult volunteers with the same student for one evening per week to work on basic math and reading skills. 202-223-0144, ext. 10
RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) seeks volunteers for the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline, which provides live, secure, anonymous, instant message-style crisis support to the growing number of people who prefer communicating via the Internet --- giving those affected by sexual assault a safe place to turn when they can't find their voice. Contact Darcey West at 202-544-0227 or darceyw@rainn.org.
Stop Child Abuse Now of Northern Virginia is holding trainings for Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers. Trainings will be held in the winter and the spring. For more information, contact the SCAN office, 703-820-9001, info@scanva.org.
WETA seeks a volunteer immediately to assist with WETA's online auction that takes place the first week of June. Good Computer and communication skills for a job that includes soliciting items for the Auction, follow up, data entry and fulfillment. Contact Janet Riksen, Senior Projects Officer,WETA, jriksen@weta.com or 703-998-2442.
If you are looking for a dynamic volunteer experience with the chance to make a difference, the Sexual Assault Response and Awareness (SARA) program is the volunteer opportunity for you. The SARA program is looking for compassionate listeners, both English speaking and bilingual, who would be comfortable talking to sexual assault survivors and their families. Volunteers take evening or weekend shifts from home or anywhere accessible by phone. The next SARA training is scheduled to begin in October and meets two evenings a week from 6:30-9:30 p.m. and on two Saturday mornings. For more information or to register for the SARA training, contact Stacey Calhoun McCullough at 703-838-5030 or stacey.mccullough@alexandriava.gov.
Wright to Read seeks volunteers to tutor elementary school students in Alexandria Schools, and for Book Buddies, an after-school reading program held at William Ramsay Elementary on Tuesdays and at Jefferson-Houston Elementary on Wednesdays. They also need pediatric waiting room readers to read to children at the Saint Asaph Street Clinic. To register for orientation, contact Ginny Biggs at 703-549-0111, ext. 339
The Alexandria Tutoring Consortium (ATC) needs tutors! Call 703-549-6670 or e-mail atc@opmh.org to learn how you can give a child the gift of reading. Visit www.alexandriatutors.org to learn more.
United Community Ministries Backporch Thrift Store is looking for volunteers to help accept donations, sort and price items and place on store floor. Contact Betsy Damitz, volunteer coordinator at 703-768-7106, ext. 328.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore is a store located at 7770 Richmond Highway that combines business with philanthropy. The 16,000 square foot store in filled with donated home-improvement goods ranging from doors, appliances, furniture, floor, tile and hardware. All items are donated by local contractors, suppliers and individuals; they are then sold to the general public for 50-90 percent of retail price. Contact Virginia Patton from Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia at 703-521-9890 ex. 105 for moreinformation or e-mail her at vpatton@habitatnova.org.
If you enjoy meeting people, particularly the elderly, and can serve during the weekday, the volunteer ombudsman position may be for you. Volunteer advocates are assigned to a specific local nursing home or assisted-living facility in Northern Virginia convenient to where they live or work. Applicants must be available to volunteer four hours per week, primarily during regular business hours. Interviews of applicants will be held this summer in preparation for the next annual training, scheduled for Sept. 17, 18 and 28 from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each day. For further information and an application, call 703-324-5435, TTY: 703-449-1186 or visit our Web site www.fairfaxcounty.gov/LTCOmbudsman.
The Alexandria Commission for Women is seeking volunteers to work with its Court Observation Program. The Court Observation Program is a volunteer-based court monitoring and research project which tracks sexual and domestic violence cases. The program is designed to provide feedback on sexual and domestic violence cases that helps the criminal justice system improve its response to them. Volunteers must commit to working at least one morning each month in the Alexandria City Courthouse, located at 520 King St. Training will be provided on one of two Monday evenings, Aug. 20 or Sept. 10. For more information or to sign up for the training, contact Laura Mandala at 703-798-5452 or Laura@MandalaResearch.com.
ESL and Immigrant Ministries needs volunteers to teach English as a second language to adult immigrants in 16 locations in Northern Virginia. Training is provided. Day and evening classes begin in September. For more information or for an application, visit http://www.eslim.org. You may also send e-mail to eslim02@gmail.com or call 703-271-8341, Ext. 3, and leave a message.
SARA has a variety of different programs:
Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Assault: A twelve-week group addressing issues facing adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. All group members must be receiving individual therapy or case management services while in the group, and an assessment is required. Offered winter/spring 2008. Contact the SARA Program: 703-838-5030.
Sexual Assault Survivors Support Group: An eight-week group for women who were assaulted as an adult or adolescent. This group will address the impact that sexual assault has had on survivors’ lives. Offered winter/spring 2008. Contact the SARA Program: 703-838-5030.
Creative Expression Support Group: A support group for adult survivors of sexual assault or sexual abuse that will incorporate nonverbal forms of expression, such as; poetry, art, journaling. This six-week group is for those who have previously participated in a support group. Offered winter 2008. Contact the SARA Program: 703-838-5030.
King Street Cats needs volunteers to care for abandoned and rescued cats and kittens in its orphanage in Old Town. Help needed with morning and evening feeding/cleaning. If you love cats and want to care for them while a permanent home is being found, contact us at 703-231-7199 or visit http://kingstreetcats.org for more.
Doorways for Women and Families is seeking volunteers for its Safehouse domestic violence shelter program. Volunteers are needed for weekend and evening shifts and to answer our 24/7 hotline. Some weekday opportunities are also available. Training begins August-September. Call 703-522-8858 x13 or e-mail volunteer@doorwaysVA.org. For more information visit www.doorwaysva.org/volunteer.
CrisisLink's 24/7/365 hotline for the Washington Metro Region is currently recruiting volunteers for their October 2008 training. Visit www.crisislink.org, e-mail volunteer@crisislink.org, or call 703-527-6016 to learn more. Come help CrisisLink continue to save lives and prevent tragedies in our community. Volunteer for three hours a week.
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. Local leaders are also needed to serve children in crisis by sharing VEFC's mission within their community. Call 703-200-3700 or email seckhardt@vefc.org for details. Visit www.vefc.org.