Call to Action: Luggage needed for foster children

Good morning – Volunteers are needed for the 2nd Annual Cajun Occasion Crawfish Boil on Sunday May 15th. This year’s event benefits the Un Trim A Tree Holiday Gift program for needy kids. Jobs include serving beer and wine, checking ID’s, set up and take down to name a few. This promises to be great fun and for a great cause. Work a couple of hours then enjoy all the fun. Please call Mary at (571) 292-5303 to register.

· Helping Neighbors Outreach Center in Dale City needs volunteers to help in the office on Thursdays from 9:30-3:30. Duties include answering the phone, mailings and other admin duties. Please call Pastor Edmonds at (703) 964-7725 for more info.

· Embrace Treatment Foster Care is collecting new or slightly used small pieces of luggage at the Manassas Mall office, next to Sears during traditional business hours. The luggage will be used so children entering foster care have a way to bring their own clothes and things. It’s so easy to help a kid by with a small suitcase. I think kids would love to have one of those fun cases on wheels to move to their next home. Please call Gretchen at (540) 613-5120 to learn more.

· The American Red Cross is looking for volunteers to install smoke alarms in the Manassas area on Saturday May 7th 8am-2pm and Saturday June 11th. Please register for this event at: volunteerconnection.redcross.org. Volunteers will start at Tabernacle Baptist Church on Barrett Drive. Please call (571) 293-1771 for more info.

· Prince William County Public Works is having a community shredding event on May 7th 9am-1pm at both the landfill location and the Balls Ford Compost facility. It’s a great way to great rid of confidential documents, tax returns and bank statement safely.

· PW Soil and Water Conservation District needs volunteers on May 12, 13, 26 and 27 to help with out of doors environmental education activities with elementary students in Nokesville. This promises to be great fun! Please call Pam at (571) 379-7514 to learn more.

· Letter Carrier’s Food Drive is Saturday May 14th. Volunteers are needed to pick up donations are various post offices and deliver to the ACTS warehouse in Dumfries. It would be most helpful if you have a truck and or large vehicle. The donated food is so important to helping hundreds of families in need every week. Please sign up for this at: signupgenius.com/go/30e058a5aa2ea7f94-the24th or call Jane at (703) 441-8606.

· Prince William Free Clinic is looking for volunteer doctors, pharmacists, Physician assistants, nurses, translators and admin folks to expand their services to needy clients in Woodbridge. Your couple of hours a week can be monumental to our neighbors. Please call Caitlin at (703) 496-9403 or via email at: [email protected] to learn more.

· House of Mercy needs volunteers on Saturday May 21st to hand out shopping list to customers at specific grocery stores. Bring your family for an hour or 2 to help so many people in need. Please visit houseofmercyva.org to register.

· Prince William Conservation Alliance is looking for volunteers for a number of their projects this spring. They will be at the K-9 Gunner Dog Park on May 14th 10-2pm and June 16th 2:30-4pm to clean up and improve wildlife habitat. Please bring your gardening tools and a smile. They will be at the Merrimac Farm on May 10th 10am-12:30pm, May 15th 2pm-4pm and May 28th 9:30am-11am for planting, weeding, mulching and removing invasive plants. Please call Vinetta at (703) 490-5200 to learn more.

· The Manassas Heritage Train Festival needs volunteers on Saturday June 4th 8am-3pm. Duties include set-up and crowd control of this super fun day. You don’t want to miss it. Please email Erin at: [email protected] to learn more.

· Mark your calendars for Thursday June 2nd for the annual Do More 24 Day. Register your non-profit and support your favorite cause is a s easy as can be. Please visit DoMore24.org to learn more and of course support a kid and a toy at Volunteer Prince William with just $24.

· The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program –RSVP has a new email address- it is: [email protected]

· If you are looking for other opportunities, please don’t forget to call my wonderful team at Volunteer Prince William. Mary can help you with the Retired and Senior Volunteer (RSVP) opportunities at (703) 369-5292 ext. 1, Shelley can help with any individual or group project and send you weekly updates if you’d like. Shelley is at (703) 369-5292 ext. 0, and Bonnie can help you with opportunities available in Disaster Preparedness at (703) 369-5292 ext. 3. Please visit our newly re-vamped website at volunteerprincewilliam.org. Thanks so much for all you do in our community.

Call to Action is a column written by Volunteer Prince William Director Mary Foley.