GrandInvolve Seeks Volunteers
GrandInvolve is recruiting older adults as volunteers who would like to become mentors, reading and math helpers, and classroom helpers. This intergenerational volunteer program has been successful in bringing many new volunteers to our Title 1 Elementary schools. If you’d like to have a rewarding volunteering experience, with flexible hours and varying responsibilities, join us at one of 5 schools this year. Schools with the GrandInvolve program are located in Springfield, Lincolnia, the Route 1 area of Alexandria, Chantilly and Herndon. For more information, contact one of the team members at GrandInvolve@gmail.com
Herndon Area Nonprofits: Making Community Work
Cornerstones formerly Reston Interfaith
Cornerstones helps those that are homeless and struggling in Northern Virginia to build more stable lives by connecting them to vital resources that solve their needs for housing, child care, food or financial assistance. Programs and services include the Embry Rucker Community Shelter, Emergency Food Pantry, Hypothermia Prevention Program and the Thanksgiving Food Drive. 571-323-9555 or www.cornerstonesva.org/.
Council for the Arts of Herndon
The Council for the Arts of Herndon is the Town of Herndon’s officially designated local arts agency. CAH is a private, not-for-profit charitable organization supported by citizens, businesses and the public sector including the Town of Herndon and the Arts Council of Fairfax County. www.herndonarts.org.
Herndon-Reston FISH
FISH: Friendly Immediate Sympathetic Help. A volunteer, non-sectarian, nonprofit dedicated to helping local residents through short-term crises. Seeking general volunteers or monetary donations. Profits from The Bargain Loft, a thrift store located at 336 Victory Drive, Herndon support FISH. Call 571-267-2980 assistance line or visit http://herndonrestonfish.org.
Touching Heart
Touching Heart is an organization that encourages children to act with love and compassion to combat bullying and in-school violence. They provide children with the opportunity to plan their own fundraising events and support organizations including Fairfax County Foster Care, Leesburg Traditional Housing and partner orphanages around the world. 703-901-7355 or www.touchingheart.com/.
Healthworks for Northern Virginia
“HealthWorks for Northern Virginia, formerly known as the Loudoun Community Health Center, is a nonprofit, Federally Qualified Health Center created to provide health care in a medical home setting to those who have limited or no health insurance. We opened our doors in May 2007, and since then, more than 12,000 patients have received quality medical care with us.” Healthworks has locations in Leesburg and Herndon. http://hwnova.org/
Shelter House
Shelter House was formed in 1981 when several ecumenical groups came together to better serve Fairfax County's low-income population; Shelter House provides safe housing and transitional services to help homeless families and victims of domestic violence in Fairfax County achieve self-sufficiency. Currently Shelter House is seeking monetary, item and time donations. www.shelterhouse.org/.
LINK: Link Against Hunger
LINK is an all volunteer Christian organization that provides emergency food and financial assistance to families living in Herndon, Sterling and Ashburn. They were established in 1972 and have been partnering with churches, businesses, schools, scout groups and individuals to help provide food to families in need. Volunteers are needed to pick up food from area stores, schools and businesses, pack food for families, deliver food, help in our pantry and distribute food to various locations. They also rescue food at area schools in Fairfax and Loudoun county and need volunteers during school hours. Their Mobile Food Pantry is held on the second Tuesday of each month in Sterling and volunteers are needed from 12:30 - 3 p.m. 703-437-1776 or www.linkagainsthunger.org.
Northern Virginia Technology Council
A not-for-profit that functions similarly to a chamber of commerce for tech companies, providing resources and networking opportunities for tech businesses; offices are in Herndon. www.nvtc.org or 703-904-7878
Herndon Village Network
The Herndon Village Network is dedicated to assisting Herndon area seniors age in place. Their focus at this time is on providing free transportation for Herndon seniors to medical appointments, social engagements, or shopping. They welcome volunteers and those in need of transportation to visit their website www.herndonvillagenetwork.org, email them HerndonVillageNetworkInfo@gmail.com or call 703-375-9439 for more information.
Assistance League of Northern Virginia
An all-volunteer organization that clothes, feeds, educates and nurtures those in need. Working through six elementary schools and Inova Fairfax Hospital, Assistance League touches the lives of some of the most needy in Northern Virginia. The schools involved include Dogwood Elementary in Reston, Lynbrook Elementary and Garfield Elementary in Springfield, Cora Kelly Elementary in Alexandria and Pine Spring Elementary in Falls Church. Volunteers and donors are always needed. Contact ALNorthernVA@yahoo.com or www.northernvirginia.assistanceleague.org
More Area Nonprofits
The League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area
The League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area LWVFA is a volunteer organization composed of passionate men and women who are dedicated to making democracy work. It encourages active participation by citizens, but it does not support or endorse candidates. It conducts studies of important community issues, has monthly meetings during which members discuss these issues, and uses education and advocacy to influence public policy, at the local level, in the interest of the public. It conducts candidate forums so that citizens can ask the candidates questions, candidates can answer those questions and also interact directly with the public. LWVFA also registers voters and provides them with unbiased information about the voting process, issues of interest, and elections. To learn more about this organization or to join please go to its website, www.lwv-fairfax.org.
Affordable Housing Corporation (AHC)
AHC Inc., a nonprofit developer of affordable housing, operates throughout northern Virginia and the Baltimore area to provide quality homes for families and individuals making between 30 and 60 percent of the middle income for their area. AHC also offers services for residents and homeownership opportunities. 703-486-0626 or www.ahcinc.org/index.html.
Committee for Helping Others CHO
CHO is an organization committed to providing “simple, loving charity” to those in need in Vienna, Dunn Loring, and Merrifield. CHO is currently seeking volunteer drivers for their furniture and transportation programs. 703-281-7614 or www.cho-va.com.
Family PASS
Family PASS strives to step in before families lose their housing and to help homeless families regain housing and become self-sufficient by providing rental subsidies assistance, extensive case management and other aid including access to education, job training, child care, food, transportation, health care, help with children’s issues and counseling. Volunteer opportunities include positions as drivers, food drive organizers and tutors. 703-242-6474 or http://familypassfairfax.org/.
So Others Might Eat
SOME is a 46-year-old organization based in the Washington D.C.area with church partnerships throughout Northern Virginia. SOME works to meet the immediate daily needs of needy adults and children with food, clothing and health care, with the goal of breaking the cycle of homelessness by offering services such as affordable housing, job training, addiction treatment and counseling to the poor, the elderly and individuals with mental illness. 202.797.8806 or www.some.org/.
AFCEA Educational Foundation
AFCEA provides educational scholarships and continuing education and training programs for people in the hard sciences disciplines related to the defense, homeland security and intelligence communities. 703-631-6100 or www.afcea.org/education/scholarships/.
Kurdish Human Rights Watch
KHRW began in 1989 with the mission of helping Internally Displaced Persons IDPs, refugees, asylee newcomers and homeless individuals gain autonomy and economic independence through programs in areas including education, nutrition and employment skills. Volunteers and advocates can adopt a refugee or refugee family, sponsor medical care for a critically ill child from Iraq, participate in Capitol Hill advocacy and donate to the scholarship fund for refugee youth. 703-385-3806, admin@khrw.org, or www.khrw.org.
Friends of Guest House
Friends of Guest House offers structure, supervision, support and assistance to female ex-offenders who sincerely want to improve their lives and break the cycle of incarceration. Friends of Guest House offers the only program for women of its kind in Northern Virginia. Volunteers provide services including computer training, planning field trips for clients, assisting with writing resumes, grocery shopping, leading exercise classes, legal assistance, GED tutoring, office work, yard work and researching and coordinating external resources like job and housing opportunities. info@friendsofguesthouse.org, http://friendsofguesthouse.org/ or 703-549-8072.
Pathway Homes
Established in 1980, Pathway Homes focuses on providing housing and support services to individuals with serious mental illnesses, aiming to help these individuals reach their full potential and lead stable lives. They offer both in-home programs, semi-independent houses and assisted living facilities. Volunteer opportunities include one on one interaction, group work and more. info@pathwayhomes.org, 703-876-0390, www.pathwayhomes.org.
Volunteers of America-Chesapeake
One of the nation's largest and most comprehensive human services organizations with a history covering more than a century, VOAC assists thousands of individuals in Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C. by providing medical care, counseling, education and training programs. Volunteer opportunities vary by location; more information can be found on the website. 301-459-2020, info@VOAches.org, www.voaches.org.