Brightening the Holidays: Ways to Give Back in Prince William County

Submitted by Volunteer Prince William:

Greetings, Prince William:  Breaking News:  You can still help support the Volunteer Prince William Untrim a Tree and Senior Basket Program!  Head over to Texas Roadhouse, 9875 Liberia Avenue, Manassas this Saturday, December 14 from 11am until 3pm for an amazing meal and to help support Untrim a Tree!  Dine in or order to go and have your server share your receipt, which will allow TEN PERCENT of your total food purchase to be donated to Volunteer Prince William!  We hope to see you there!

Do you have a passion for helping others learn? BEACON for English Language and Literacy has an exciting opportunity for you! They are actively seeking in-person and online evening Volunteer Teachers for the winter semester. Flexible schedules are available, with one-day-a-week or two-day-a-week options at various class levels. Evening classes run from 7 PM to 9 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Manassas, Manassas Park, or via Zoom. No prior teaching or foreign language experience is necessary—training is provided! To learn more, sign up for a virtual information session at: Info session sign-up  or contact Seth Mazzaro at 571.428.2524 or email  smaz…@osbva.org. Don’t miss this chance to make a difference!

•  If you have bilingual skills in Spanish, here’s a wonderful opportunity for you!  BEACON for English Language & Literacy needs bilingual volunteers at their Winter Learning Circle Registration event on December 18, 2024, 5pm to 9pm.  No training or onboarding required – just come ready to assist.  Volunteers will help new adult ESL learners download the Remind app and complete an online reading placement test using the Learning Upgrade app.  Interested volunteers should fill out this form: https://forms.gle/UoPYeVu92T2YtVVr8.  Please email smaz…@osbva.org for more information.
• You can provide new, warm clothing for a vulnerable child!  The fantastic staff at Boxes of Basics need sponsors who can make the holidays brighter for a local child by sponsoring a Box of Basics.  It’s super easy: 1) Visit their Sign Up Genius page at https://bit.ly/4i8a2eQ; 2) Select a size/gender Box of Basics and sign up; 3) Use their shopping list to buy items to help fill Boxes of Basics; 4) Drop off your unwrapped purchases at one of their convenient donation locations by December 20.  Please visit https://boxesofbasics.org/clothing-donations for a list of donation sites.  Imagine how happy you’ll make a child and their family feel this Christmas when they receive new clothing they are proud to be seen in!
• You can make a difference in the life of a child! CASA CIS needs volunteers age 21+ who care about children growing up in a safe, permanent and loving home.  The staff will hold their next Virtual Information Session on December 18, 6pm-7pm.  Learn how you can help protect abused and neglected children in your community by becoming a volunteer advocate.  Please email jpo…@casacis.org or call 703.330.8145 to receive the link to the meeting or to inquire about alternate dates.
• If you enjoy decorating for the holidays, here’s a wonderful opportunity for you! CRi, Choice. Respect. independence needs volunteers age 12+ to put up decorations around the exterior of their group homes.  Decorations can be homemade or purchased, just please make sure they can withstand the weather for the duration of the holiday month.  While third parties are not allowed inside the homes, decorations can be made and given to staff to hang indoors.  Commercial holiday decorations are welcome such as string lights, Santa, ornaments, and Christmas trees; string lights are a HUGE hit with residents in all the group homes!  This family-friendly opportunity will be sure to put you in the holiday mood as you brighten up the lives of these clients who deal with developmental disabilities and/or mental health issues.  Please email swh…@mycri.org to learn more.
• Although we’re in the holiday season, Martin Luther King Day isn’t too far off, and the MLK Youth Community Choir is seeking students in grades K-12 to join the choir and make a joyful noise!  Participants will rehearse for a special performance at the Prince William Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta (PWCAC- DST) 40th Annual Dr. King Youth Oratorical Competition and Program being held January 18, 2025.  Rehearsals have begun, but more participants are welcome – no tryout is needed!  Please email pwc.mlkcom…@gmail.com to learn more.
• The “Power of A Knock” can help a homebound senior get nutritious meals!  Meals on Wheels urgently needs volunteers to deliver meals to homebound senior citizens on weekday mornings.  Volunteers must pass a criminal and driving record background check.  Routes take about 1.5 hours to complete, training is provided.  You’ll feel great when you find out how inspiring it is to serve this vulnerable population and make their day!  Please visit www.pwcva.gov/department/area-agency-aging/volunteer for more information and forms.  Please email tsol…@pwcgov.org or call 703.792.4583 to learn more.
• The hard-working staff at Northern Virginia Food Rescue is looking for volunteers who are available to be On-Call to help with offloading large truckloads of food deliveries when they arrive at their warehouse located at 10535 Battleview Parkway, Manassas 20109. This role is vital in ensuring that they can quickly rescue and distribute food to families in need.  Volunteers would be on call 7am-6pm with varying delivery times.  Communication is done via text message when a delivery is on the way and help is needed.  Volunteers should be prepared to lift heavy items.  A brief mandatory training will be held for those volunteers selected for this position.  You’ll feel great knowing you’re doing your part to help food-insecure families in our local community!  Please text 571.370.3073 to let them know you’re interested.
• Your office, group or club can provide holiday comfort during December!  Streetlight Community Outreach Ministries’ hypothermia shelter located at 14716 Potomac Mills Road in Woodbridge has an ongoing need for groups to prepare and drop off meals for 30 adult residents through March 30, 2025.  Meals are needed each night and should be prepared off-site and dropped off at the shelter between 6:30pm-7pm.  There are still several openings in December, and you’ll feel great providing a hot, nourishing meal for the homeless to enjoy!  Please visit https://bit.ly/3XXR5SR to sign up and get more information, email thermal…@thestreetlight.org or call 571.677.2883 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.