ARLINGTON WOMEN'S CIVIC ALLIANCE

Looking for Volunteer Opportunities?​

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​​Volunteer Opportunities in Arlington: 

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AFAC (Afac.org): AFAC’s Sponsor Purchased Food (SPF) initiative enables your group to sponsor healthy food for AFAC families and prepare that food for distribution. With SPF, volunteering, fundraising, and team-building come together to help feed our neighbors in need. Whether you’re sponsoring 2,000 pounds of healthy food or 10,000, we need your team to join our team! SPF events can be scheduled on weekdays or weekends. AFAC can bring the SPF to your team or we can host your team here at our warehouse.

Meals on Wheels (Mealsonwheelsarlington.com): Meals on Wheels of Arlington, Virginia is a largely volunteer organization delivering meals to homebound residents in Arlington, Virginia. Meals are prepared by a commercial caterer, packed in individual thermal coolers, and delivered to our staging area at First Presbyterian Church in Ballston at around 11 am. Volunteer drivers report to the MOW dispatcher at the church and pick up their meals and route books with detailed route instructions. Meals for a week at a time, 5 fresh and 5 flash frozen, are delivered on Wednesdays. Some of our volunteer drivers are associated with churches, synagogues, civic groups, and companies which ‘adopt’ one or more routes and provide drivers on a regular basis.

Path Forward (Pfva.org): PathForward’s mission is to transform lives by delivering housing solutions and pathways to stability. There are myriad ways to volunteer whether in-person or remotely, in groups or as an individual. Some examples include: There is a kitchen at the Homeless shelter center located adjacent to the courthouse building where you can help serve meals or drop bagged meals off. They are always collecting bed bundles, hygiene kits, food, and clothing. HBMP – prepare/drop off 50 bagged meals for distribution.

Bridges2independence (Bridges2.org): Bridges operates Arlington County’s emergency family shelter, known as the Sullivan House, which has approximately 45 beds across 10 separate apartment units. It is a temporary solution for those with little or no resources. While there, families receive intensive case management. Volunteer opportunities range from simple donations, assisting at community outreach programs, event drives, and helping at the Sullivan House food pantry – individually or as a group.​​

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Doorways for Women and Families (Doorwaysva.org): Doorways creates pathways out of homelessness, domestic violence, and sexual assault leading to safe, stable, and empowered lives. Volunteers do everything from frontline service to fundraising. Without  volunteers, Doorways couldn’t deliver the life-changing services and lasting results it does. Fundraising and monetary donations are great ways to assist this important organization. To volunteer at the shelter, a one-year commitment is required as well as a mandatory 40 hour training due to the very specialized work they do.

The Salvation Army (salvationarmynca.org): The Salvation Army serves families and people in crisis living throughout the National Capital Area of DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. Whether it is a hot meal, help paying a bill, or a more long-term obstacle, the team is ready to serve anyone in need. They have The Angel Tree Program, which is a unique holiday assistance program that connects Sponsors with needy children "the Angel" so children can receive needed items and some special gifts at Christmas.

AHC (Affordable Homes and Communities) (ahcinc.org): Founded in 1975, AHC Inc.’s mission is to produce and preserve high quality affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families in the mid-Atlantic region and to build strong futures for our residents through onsite educational programs. The website has information about volunteer opportunities available as well as information about volunteer application and training if necessary. Volunteer opportunities include:

• Making snack bags and gift bags for students and seniors and then deliver to one of the AHC community centers; there is a sign-up genius link on the website.

• Tutoring students at various grade levels or assisting with college readiness. This would require an ongoing commitment of one hour/week for a designated period of time and would take place at one of the AHC community centers.

• Bi-monthly delivery of produce boxes.

Arlington Public Schools (Apsva.us): Volunteer & Partnership opportunities include individual opportunities that can vary from school to school. Community partnerships: resource, service, and strategic partnerships. Something AWCA may consider is “adopting a school” each year and working in partnership with the school to meet the needs through service (backpack buddy program) or financial support (amazon school wishlist). We do this now in the beginning of every year.

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Arlington Education and Employment Program (adult ESL program volunteers) (Reep.apsva.us): REEP volunteers have a desire to help immigrants from all cultures and backgrounds gain the tools that allow them to thrive in a new country. By sharing their everyday knowledge, volunteers make a profound difference in immigrant students’ lives in America. At the same time, volunteers gain a rare insight into a different part of their community and the chance to interact with people from a variety of countries and cultures. Support opportunities include donating money for school supplies directly or through the Amazon Wishlist. Easy! Online or community center classroom teacher, assistant teacher -  1.5 hrs/week commitment for 3 month semester.

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AWLA (Animal Welfare League of Arlington) (awla.org): The AWLA was founded in 1944 by volunteers and is still going strong after 75 years. Volunteers contribute valuable resources – time, knowledge, talent, skills, and leadership – that further infuse AWLA with energy and passion in service of our organizational mission: to improve the lives of animals and people. Most volunteer jobs require training which is a mix of at-home videos and in-person instruction. Once you attend orientation you can start volunteering! There are also teen volunteer opportunities. Fun fact: there is a walk-in dog walking program – but call first!! Volunteer opportunities include walking dogs, interacting with cats, feeding the animals, laundry, cleaning kennels, transporting animals and handling them at adoption events. There is a volunteer waitlist but once your location on the waitlist is reached, they will send you an email with information to sign up for a New Volunteer Orientation. Orientation spaces are offered in order of when the interest form is submitted.

Lost Dog & Cat Rescue (Lostdogrescue.org): Volunteer Opportunity Brochure: https://www.lostdogrescue.org/volunteer/other-opportunities/#gallery-2. Lost Dog Café opened in Arlington’s Westover neighborhood in 1985. Lifelong animal lovers, Ross & Pam, started rescuing dogs early in their business career. It began with a few dogs being rescued from local shelters. Employees at the Café were soon fielding calls from dog adopters in between orders without missing a beat; and the rescue mission became part of the Lost Dog culture. In 2009 Lost Dog Café opened a second location on Columbia Pike and soon followed with McLean (2011), Dunn Loring (2013), and Alexandria (2015). All Lost Dog Café locations are owned and operated by former employees and members of the Lost Dog Café family who are well versed and committed to carry on Ross and Pam’s dedication to good food, good beer, great customer service, and a deep-rooted love for animals that embody the Lost Dog Café way. Volunteers are needed daily to socialize with animals, help care for them, and take them out for a "dogventure." Volunteers can also transport animals to vet visits and adoption events. New volunteers are always welcome! A volunteer orientation teaches you about the processes and procedures for interacting with the animals at the Rescue Care Center.

Food for Neighbors (https://www.foodforneighbors.org): The Red Bag Program is the heart of the Food For Neighbors mission. It mobilizes communities to donate, collect, sort, and deliver food to middle and high school students who struggle with hunger. Five times a year, you can fill a Red Bag (that they supply) with food from a prepared grocery list. Drivers pick up the filled bag right from your front door and volunteers sort the food to distribute to local schools the same day. Students in your local community will immediately benefit from your generosity!

• Very easy and significant way to make an impact on food insecurity in Arlington.

• Fill the Red Bag with groceries. They do the rest!

• Excellent communication. They have streamlined the process to make it simple and convenient. Several AWCA members are signed up for this!

• The website includes a list of Arlington schools that receive this assistance.​

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