Call to Action: Emergency SNAP benefits have ended

Greetings, Prince William – As of the beginning of March, emergency SNAP benefits have ended, putting many local food-insecure families at risk.  This has put additional pressure on food assistance programs such as SERVE and ACTS.  But you can help by holding a food drive or donating to their programs! For SERVE in Manassas, please visitwww.nvfs.org/snap-response/ for more information.  For ACTS in Dumfries, please visit www.actspwc.org/services/food-assistance#Donations to learn more.  Both agencies and other food assistance programs in the greater Prince William community will appreciate your support, and you’ll feel great knowing you are doing your part to fight local hunger!

Volunteer Prince William is in urgent need of a Spanish-speaking volunteer who can be on call to translate for Alternative Community Service clients who want to enroll in our program but speak little or no English.  The volunteer will participate in a conference call between staff and the client to translate the questions and responses during the initial intake interview.  Volunteers will be scheduled ahead of time for specific shifts and must be available by phone during these times.  Volunteers must be proficient in English and Spanish and able to speak clearly.  They must also ensure that the information they translate remains accurate and maintains the same style and meaning as originally intended.  The conference call can be done once a week, or you can be on standby.  Email [email protected] for more information.

If you love animals and running, we have a terrific opportunity for you!  The wonderful people at Advocates for Abused and Abandoned Pets need an experienced volunteer age 18+ to help with coordinating, managing, and executing walk/run fundraisers.  The goal is to host a 5K race in Prince William during the early fall.  It’s not too early to begin planning, and you’ll feel great as you promote a healthy event that will help homeless and abused animals!  Please email [email protected] to learn more.

You can help our senior citizens!  Prince William Area Agency on Aging is looking for Home Delivered Meals Drivers age 18+ to deliver noontime meals to homebound seniors Monday-Friday, 10 am-12 pm.  Routes take about 1.5 hours to complete. Schedules are flexible.  The program operates out of the two senior centers located in Manassas and Woodbridge.  Volunteers must have dependable transportation, a valid driver’s license, safe driving record and proof of insurance.  Volunteers must also pass a criminal background check, paid by PWC.  You’ll get the warm fuzzies as you deliver both a smile to seniors’ faces and a hot, nutritious meal!  Please contact Tracy at 703.792.4583 or visithttp://bit.ly/3IPKVfJ for more information.

Are you a people person?  The staff at Capital Caring Health need a virtual volunteer to help with volunteer recruitment for their various programs.  This virtual opportunity is about 10 hours a month and involves social media, marketing and outreach support.  This is an excellent remote opportunity; you’ll gain nonprofit management and communication experience!  Please email [email protected] to learn more.

If you love admin work, the folks at CFH (formerly Catholics for Housing) want to meet you!  They need a volunteer bilingual Office Assistant who can keep the day-to-day office operations going and assist callers and clients.  Duties include answer phones, help visitors, help with the website and program applications. Flexible schedule, 2-3 days a week, 4-6 hours each shift.  Bilingual skills in Spanish required.  You’ll feel great as you help this agency make affordable housing possible for their clients!  Please email [email protected] for more information.

Catholic Charities’ Virginia Refugee Student Achievement Program (VRSAP) needs volunteers to help tutor students on an ongoing basis.  This 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.  Please visit http://bit.ly/3uBxVnP to sign up.  Please email[email protected] to learn more.

The dedicated staff at Grace United Methodist Church needs volunteers to be Teachers and Helpers for their next session of English as a Second Language (ESL), April 4 thru June 8.  Classes will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm-9pm at the church located at 9750 Wellington Road, Manassas 20110.  You’ll feel wonderful as you help learners improve their English reading, writing and speaking skills!  Please email [email protected] to learn how you can make a difference.

*Virtual Opportunity*  Historic Dumfries is seeking an experienced volunteer to help with submitting grants to make The Lee Lansing Research Library more accessible, and to help promote the upcoming 250th commemoration of local history and Revolutionary War history.  Your help would directly impact Historic Dumfries as your advice will help the Executive Director prepare to submit two very impactful grants for this small community!  Please email[email protected] for more information.

Attention Plant Lovers and Gardeners!  Leopold’s Preserve, 16290 Thoroughfare Road in Broad Run is offering a series of family-friendly trainings for volunteers to be certified in invasive vine removal on their facility.  Once certified, volunteers can come to the Preserve any time, on their own schedule, and independently work to remove invasive vines.  Training is required to learn more about invasive vine identification and removal techniques.  Trainings for 2023 will be offered on April 22, August 12 and October 14, 1:30pm-3:30pm each date.  It’s family-friendly and you’ll enjoy being outdoors in this beautiful facility and helping the staff as you clear out vines which could strangle trees and plants!  Please visit http://bit.ly/3J9YUNR for more information on this opportunity, visit www.leopoldspreserve.com/calendar to sign up.

Pink Space Theory has all sorts of volunteer opportunities open for talented individuals!  Newsletter Content Contributor, STEM Lesson Creator, Grant Writer and STEM Speaker are just a few of the opportunities available to get young minds excited about learning!  Please email [email protected] for more information.

Is your office or club looking for a group project?  SERVE’s Family Shelter has a need for small groups of 5-7 volunteers to provide, prepare and deliver nutritious meals for about 60 guests in their shelter, to include Easter Sunday and Memorial Day!  Volunteers have the option to prepare the meal offsite and do a drive-by drop-off delivery of the meal to the shelter or to prepare and serve onsite in the shelter kitchen.  It’s a great way to give back and provide a home-cooked nutritious meal for those coping with homelessness!  Please email [email protected] or call 571.748.2674 for more information and a list of meal openings in 2023.

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.