Laurel Cunnane, lead volunteer on the United Community Ministries’ Holiday Gift Room Project, with one of the donated toys in the Holiday Gift Room at United Community Ministries in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County. UCM Photo provided by RSVP Northern Virginia
RSVP Northern Virginia is seeking volunteers for two public service projects in the Alexandria area of Fairfax, Saturday, Oct. 28, part of VolunteerFest 2017 organized by Volunteer Fairfax.
VolunteerFest is a region-wide day of community service held each October in conjunction with National Make a Difference Day, mobilizing hundreds of volunteers to help nonprofits accomplish tasks that they would not have the resources to do so on their own.
United Community Ministries distributes fresh fruits and vegetables to the needy as part of its Mobile Market on the last Saturday of each month. Volunteers are needed Oct. 28 to help stock, organize, and distribute fruit and vegetables and will also have the opportunity to work one-on-one to help UCM clients select items from the food bank. More than 100 clients are to be served on the 28th. The event begins at 7 a.m. and should last about four hours.
UCM also is preparing for its annual Holiday Gift Room. Last year, donations of nearly 10,000 toys, books, games, clothing, and other gifts helped more than 1,200 area children. Volunteers will help paint walls, reorganize pantries and set up the gift room so it is ready to receive toy’s donated to the drive each year.
The Holiday Gift Room project begins at noon and is slated to last three hours. Both volunteer opportunities will take place at United Community Ministries, 7511 Fordson Road, Alexandria, located near Route 1.
RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) is a volunteer network for people 55 and older and provides individualized support to seniors seeking service opportunities in and around Fairfax County, Arlington County and the City of Alexandria.
United Community Ministries Inc. (UCM of Alexandria) is a community-based nonprofit that provides comprehensive social services for Mount Vernon’s vulnerable children their families in Southeastern Fairfax County. For more information on UCM visit www. ucmagency.org
To sign up for either or both of these VolunteerFest events, email RSVP Volunteer Specialist Carly Hubicki at chubicki@volunteerfairfax.org or call RSVP at 703-403-5360. To sign up for an upcoming RSVP orientation visit www.rsvpnova.org.