Call to Action: Student refugees in need of assistance

Greetings, Prince William – Catholic Charities is seeking volunteers aged 18+ to help tutor students on an ongoing basis.  Their VA Refugee Student Achievement Project (VRSAP) program supports children for up to five years after arrival and assists refugee students in target areas so that they will be successful in school.  Tutors assist children with tutoring, school supplies, computers, referrals for counseling, academic services, testing, and other needs. Volunteers must pass a background check and go through the required training.  Please visit https://bit.ly/3uBxVnP to sign up, email[email protected] to learn more.

Do you love office work?  ACTS is looking for Data Entry Volunteers age 18+ for their Hunger Prevention Center, Domestic Violence and Utility Assistance departments.  The opportunity is in their offices on weekdays only.  Volunteers must pass a background check and must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (booster not required).  Volunteers should be computer literate and with quick and accurate typing skills.  Please visit https://actspwc.org/volunteer#How to fill out an online volunteer application.  Please email [email protected] for more information.

The fantastic staff at BEACON is already preparing for their Fall session, August 22 thru November 10!  They’re looking for volunteers to help teach English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes, both in-person and online via Zoom.  No experience is required; training is provided.  Experience with Zoom is helpful.  There will be mandatory training on July 23 for everyone.  You’ll feel great as you help students gain a better grasp of English speaking skills, which will help improve their lives!  Please visit https://bit.ly/3wcYjUY to fill out an online application.  Please call 703.368.7491 to learn more.

You can make a difference in the life of a child! Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is seeking volunteers age 21+ who care about children growing up in a safe, permanent and loving home. The staff is holding Virtual Information Sessions on two dates:  Wednesday, July 13 and Wednesday, July 27, both at 6pm-7pm. Learn how you can help protect abused and neglected children in your community by becoming a volunteer advocate. Please email [email protected] or call (703) 330-8145 to receive the link to the meeting.
If you’re a social media guru, Historic Dumfries wants to meet you!  They have an urgent need for a tech-savvy volunteer age 18+ who can address some issues they are having with their social media accounts.  It’s an interesting virtual opportunity and you’ll feel great as you help this historic organization fix its accounts so they can keep communicating information, events, and programming for children and adults.  Please email Lisa at[email protected] for more information on how you can help.

House of Mercy is already preparing for the ’22-’23 school year with their Back to School Drive. Help provide children with new school supplies and new shoes to start the school year off right!  Since some schools are beginning earlier, donations should be dropped off before July 15 at their facility, 8170 Flannery Court, Manassas 20109.  Donation bins will be available, you can also order from their Amazon Wishlist!  Remember how awesome you felt that first day of school with new supplies and new shoes?  You can help their kids have a great start to the new year!  Please visithttps://houseofmercyva.org/events/back-to-school-drive/ to learn more.  Volunteers will be needed!  Please contact John at[email protected] or call 703.659.1636.

If you love the outdoors, we have a great opportunity for you!  Leopold’s Preserve, located at 16290 Thoroughfare Road, Broad Run 20137 needs volunteers to help remove invasive plants from their upland depression swamp on August 6, 9 am-12 pm.  No experience is necessary, you’ll get on-the-job training and enjoy the beautiful park!  Volunteers will meet at their parking lot at 16290 Thoroughfare Road, and then walk together to the project site.  Long sleeves, long pants, sturdy close-toed shoes and gardening gloves are a must.  Sunscreen and bug spray are needed and bring plenty of water.  Please visit https://bit.ly/3RjL4eS to sign up. Please contact Marie at [email protected] for more information.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation: “I Was a Food Rescue Hero!”  Prince William Food Rescue needs Food Rescue Heroes to pick up and deliver food – it’s easy!  Simply visit your smartphone app store to download the Northern Virginia Food Rescue app, set up your profile and you’re ready to save food from the dumpsters!  Have the kids ride along and put those youthful muscles to work carrying boxes of food that might otherwise get trashed to food assistance programs that will feed food-insecure families!  What a cool way to spend summer!  Please email [email protected] to learn more.

If you are looking for other opportunities, please don’t forget to call our wonderful team at Volunteer Prince William at 703.369.5292.  You can also visit our website at www.volunteerprincewilliam.org.  Thanks so much for all you do in our community.