Volunteer Fairfax now is accepting volunteer registration for this year’s VolunteerFest, on Saturday, Oct. 28. Volunteers can choose from a variety of projects, such as building an outdoor classroom; assembling care packages for soldiers in Iraq; or helping adapt toys for toddlers and infants with disabilities. For a listing of volunteer projects and to sign up, visit www.volunteerfairfax.org and click on “VolunteerFest 2006” in the dark blue bar on left hand side of the homepage.
For questions, contact Erin Whyte at 703-246-3460 or ewhyte@volunteerfairfax.org.
Volunteers for Change, a volunteer program for adults, features a flexible calendar of weekend and weekday evening projects to fit your schedule. The only commitment to make is to a one-time orientation at Volunteer Fairfax’s office in central Fairfax. Orientations will be held Saturday, Nov. 5 from 2 to 3 p.m. and Monday, Nov. 7 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
After orientation, volunteers can choose from more than 45 monthly community service projects throughout Northern Virginia.
Contact Ann Doyle to register for the next orientation at 703-246-3460 ext. 2,2 or e-mail to adoyle@volunteerfairfax.org. Visit www.volunteerfairfax.org.
Volunteers are needed for day and evening hours to work one-to-one with adult learners in public libraries. VLP is a joint community project of the Fairfax County Public Schools (Adult & Community Education), Fairfax County’s Juvenile Court, and the Fairfax County Public Library. Call 703-246-2139 or E-mail VLP@fcps.edu.
The American Red Cross Blood Services Region is seeking volunteers to assist its blood collections staff at blood operation sites in and around Washington, D.C. Red Cross volunteers assist with providing a high level of customer service to donors during shifts of approximately five hours.
A commitment of two blood drives per month is requested. This position is offered to people who are at least 14 years of age, have transportation, and weekday, daytime availability. Specific responsibilities include greeting donors and providing them with essential reading materials, serving refreshments, and observing donors for post-donation reactions to giving blood. Training is provided. Call 1-800-272-0094x1, or E-mail karlofft@usa.redcross.org.
The ESL and Immigrant Ministries needs volunteers to teach English as a Second Language to adult immigrants in 17 locations in Northern Virginia. Training is provided. Day and evening classes begin in September. Visit www.eslim.org or call 703-841-0292, and leave a message.”
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. Call 703.522.8858 x13 or email volunteer@doorwaysVA.org. Log on to www.doorwaysva.org/volunteer.
Doorways for Women and Families invites people to attend a monthly volunteer orientation meeting the first Tuesday of every month to learn more about volunteer opportunities with our family shelter, domestic violence Safehouse and other community programs. Log on to www.doorwaysva.org/volunteer or email volunteer@doorwaysva.org for more information.
Volunteer with the Department of Community and Recreation Services to become part of daily operations and help provide activities in all programs offered. Volunteers may commit to short-term projects or long-term projects. Potential volunteers must be at least 18 years old, complete a background check, and participate in training. Give a few hours a month, a week, or a day. Call 703-324-4386, TTY 711.
The Fairfax Area Agency on Aging: The Meals on Wheels program is in immediate need of volunteers to deliver meals during the week, Monday to Friday, to senior adults who live in the McLean area.
The job involves picking up meals at specified sites between 10:30 a.m. and noon, and delivering the meals to seniors by 1 p.m. Drivers can choose to deliver meals on a daily, weekly, monthly or substitute basis.
Call the Fairfax AAA Volunteer Intake Line at 703-324-5406 or e-mail melanie.mitchell@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Make a difference in a child’s life and become a mentor with CHAMPS. Mentors in this program are volunteers who provide children of prisoners in Northern Virginia with friendship, recreational activities and constructive example. Call Ellen Klene at 703-533-3302 Ext. 107 or e-mail eklene@cmhs.org.
The Great Falls Optimist Club is a child-centered non-profit organization that focuses its activities on supporting, encouraging and challenging children to reach greater heights. Call T.R. Cook, president, at 703-938-5885 or e-mail cooksphotoart@aol.com. Call Angela Bongiorno, membership co-chair, at 703-759-2925 or e-mail angela.bongiorno@verizon.net.
Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League (MAGDRL) is looking for good homes for orphan Great Danes. MAGDRL has Great Danes available for adoption that are already spayed/neutered and up-to-date on vaccines. The orphans range in age from puppies to seniors. The adoption fee is $300 for orphans under 1 year and $275 for those over 1 year. Fencing is required, and MAGDRL will work with applicants to find a good fit for their lifestyle and their family. To offer a home for a Great Dane or to volunteer, visit www.magdrl.org or call 703-644-8009.
Volunteers needed for the upcoming 2006 Fall Festival-Celebrate Virginia Today; celebrating all that Virginia has to offer with Virginia-made food and beverages, arts and crafts, “how to” classes, music and strolling entertainers, door prizes and maybe even a mini-festival of Virginia-made films. Call Diane Cruz at 703-790-0123 at the McLean Community Center.
Kidsave aims to increase the awareness of the plight of orphaned children and give children the chance to meet families who can change their lives. Over the past six years, more than 90 percent of the children have been adopted by families they met while in the U.S. for their summer camp experience. Visit www.kidsave.org, contact the Kidsave Volunteer Coordinator, Alla Kamins with questions at 571-243-1897 or e-mail her at alla@global.t-bird.edu.
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.
Share, Inc., an all-volunteer McLean-based non-profit that provides help to needy individuals and families, needs volunteers to prepare schedules for furniture pick-ups and deliveries. Schedulers work one week at a time in rotation; work is done at home using telephone and computer. A scheduler must be proficient with e-mail and MSWord, attentive to details, and willing to work several hours during the week in which he or she is on duty. E-mail iauerbach@cox.net.
Fairfax Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is recruiting community-minded citizens from diverse backgrounds to volunteer as advocates for children whose families have been cited for abuse and neglect by the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. The role of a CASA is to investigate a child’s situation and to advocate for what is in the best interest of the child in court. All CASA volunteers undergo training to prepare them for this role, and no prior experience in child welfare is required. Visit www.casafairfax.org or call the Fairfax CASA’s Recruitment & Training Manager at 703-273-3526 or staff@casafairfax.org.