By By Rob Paine, RSVP Marketing and Outreach Specialist
Welcome to November!
November is a month during which we express gratitude for our veterans (Veterans Day is Nov. 11) and then of give thanks on Thanksgiving.
RSVP-Northern Virginia has put together list of volunteer opportunities for November and into holiday season provided by our partners and friends for our RSVP members. Most are one time events that we hope you will find to be convenient, fun and provide great opportunities to make new friends.
Not a member of RSVP-Northern Virginia yet? If you are 55 or better, please visit www.rsvpnova.org to find a schedule of our upcoming free volunteer info sessions including Wednesday, Nov. 6, in Alexandria, and Monday, Nov. 18, in Falls Church.
Take part in RSVP’s November Group Service Project : Assemble Holiday food baskets with Cornerstones
Help make Thanksgiving a bountiful season for all
Meet the RSVP staff by visiting About RSVP
Register to volunteer during the holidays
Come help RSVP and Volunteers for Change (also a program of Volunteer Fairfax) by hosting carriage and train rides at Reston Town Center during the upcoming holiday season! Help us manage the lines, collect donations, educate people about RSVP & Volunteer Fairfax and have a little holiday fun in the process! Parking is FREE!! There are two different dates/activities available:
Register to volunteer now for this event by visiting Reston Holiday Event
Friday, November 29, 2019 from 6- 10 pm Carriage Rides at Reston Town Center: Volunteers will manage the lines, collect donations, educate people about RSVP & Volunteer Fairfax and have a little holiday fun!
Sunday, December 22, 2019 from 11:30 – 4 pm Train Rides at Reston Town Center: Volunteers will manage the lines, collect donations, educate people about RSVP & Volunteer Fairfax and have a little holiday fun!
Cornerstones Gift Giving Project
Come help Cornersones sort donations of material for its Holiday gift giving events for the Embry Rucker Community Shelter’s singles, families and children. Work takes place indoors and outside, so dress for the weather! For more info, contact Susan Alger, Director of Volunteer and Community Engagement, at. susan.alger@cornerstonesva.org
Name of Organization : Cornerstones
Where: Embry Rucker Community Shelter, 11975 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston, VA 20190
When: Dec. 13th, bad weather date: Dec. 16th (10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.– approx. 4-6 hours total depending on group size and productivity. Serve all or part of this time frame.)
For additional holiday volunteer opportunities, please download our annual RSVP Holiday Volunteering Guide by clicking 2019 RSVP Holiday Volunteering
If you need more information or have any questions, please contact RSVP Volunteer Specialist Shannon White at swhite@volunteerfairfax.org
Do you enjoy nature? Become a volunteer Roving Trail Naturalist at Huntley Meadows Park
Huntley Meadows Park, part of the Fairfax County Park Authority, is beginning to recruit for its new Roving Trail Naturalist volunteer positions. The volunteer Roving Trail Naturalists will be out on the park’s trails and boardwalks for several hours at a time with bio-facts, binoculars or scopes and will be engaging visitors with current events and wildlife sightings in the wetland.
A full description can be found at
https://volunteer.fairfaxcounty.gov/custom/1380/#/opp_details/184681
For more information please contact Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator Halley Johnson at 703-768-2525.
If you need more information or have any questions, please contact RSVP Volunteer Specialist Shannon White at swhite@volunteerfairfax.org
Opportunities through Volunteer Alexandria
Sponsor an older adult in Alexandria this holiday season
Each year the City of Alexandria supports its older adults with gifts for the Holiday Season. The Department of Community and Human Services, DCHS, Holiday Sharing Program has Older Adults Still in Need of sponsorship this Holiday Season!
The holiday season is a joyous occasion filled with excitement and anticipation. For many though, the holidays are a very stressful time of year due to financial hardship and loneliness. There is a tremendous need in our community to help those less fortunate.
Please reach out to the neediest in the community by joining us to sponsor an older adult this season.
Sign up here today—- https://apps.alexandriava.gov/HolidaySharing/
Questions? Contact Krystal Fenwick at 703.746.5663 or Krystal.fenwick@alexandriava.gov
Capital Caring seeks volunteers for Tuck-In Call
Capital Caring is in need of volunteers who would like to call patients or caregivers as part of our Tuck-In Call program. This is calling and asking if they have enough supplies, answering questions and lending some verbal support.
It is every Wednesday and Thursday, they can choose one day if they wish from about 10:00 to 2:00, depending on when the calls are completed.
If interested please contact Ilene Thorman, Volunteer Services Coordinator at703-712-4870 or email ithorman@capitalcaring.org
Literacy Council Seeking Volunteers at Sherwood Library
The Literacy Council of Northern Virginia has a brand new ESL class at Sherwood Library in Alexandria and last week a huge number of people came to register for the class. We currently have volunteer teachers and class aides to staff 2 beginning-level classes, but we’d like to be able to offer a third class at a high-beginning level. In order to do that, we need more teachers!
The class will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30pm-8:30pm starting ASAP and running through December 11. We are looking for individuals who have some experience teaching – not necessarily adult ESL, though that would be ideal! We will of course provide curriculum, materials, and support. To volunteer to help with these classes, please contact Amy Tristan at ATristan@lcnv.org
New Hope Housing Urgent Volunteer Need
The First Christian Church on Leesburg Pike runs a drop-in program for those in need every Thursday from about 9am-2pm. It’s called Safe Haven and New Hope Housing collaborates with the church to put it on.
Safe Haven has a need for more volunteers to help out in the kitchen and with their clothing closet. It is a good group of people with a very friendly, service-oriented atmosphere. To volunteer with this project, please contact Leo Patrician at lpatrician@newhopehousing.org
2020 Census Community Event Volunteer Needed
The position of 2020 Census Volunteer serves as an extension of the Fairfax County Complete Count Committee (CCC), supporting the County’s mission to ensure the complete count of every resident of Fairfax County on April 1, 2020. The 2020 Census Volunteer represents the CCC to the public at identified community events. To sign up please email census2020@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Training for this position will be provided on November 7, 2019. In addition, the CCC members, Fairfax County and US Census Staff are available for training, development and support.
Key Responsibilities: The 2020 Census Volunteer shares and disseminates 2020 census information to the public as necessary at identified community events via organized presentations to the public. This positions also answers questions regarding the 2020 Census as posed by the public and directs any unanswered questions to the appropriate resource (i.e. Fairfax County website, the CCC, a regional resource, US Department of Commerce, etc.). Set-up and breakdown of 2020 Census displays using a table, folding chairs, and marketing materials.Other duties as assigned.
Responsible to: The Fairfax County Complete Count Committee Volunteer Coordinator
Length of Appointment: The 2020 Census Volunteer is appointed from November 7, 2019 through May 1, 2020.
Time Commitment: Varies based on the number of community events scheduled.Weekdays, Evenings, and Weekends as scheduled for 2-4 hours shifts. Flexible, approximately 15 hours/week.
Qualifications: Basic knowledge of a computer and powerpoint. Pleasant manner, patience, problem-solving ability, dependability, comfortable interacting with community members, confident public speaker, ability to work independently.
More about RSVP-Northern Virginia
RSVP-Northern Virginia, the largest volunteer group for seniors and retirees in the region, offers more than 300 meaningful, fun and social opportunities that include helping seniors age in place, assisting local food pantries, supporting local parks and teaching financial literacy.
RSVP also recruits volunteers for various community events including the annual Northern Virginia Senior Olympics taking place Sept. 14-28. Several of RSVP’s nonprofit partners offer opportunities in the Alexandria Area including New Hope Housing, Green Spring Gardens, United Community (Formerly UCM Alexandria) and Huntley Meadow Park.
RSVP volunteers have more than 300 opportunities to choose from including supporting the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics each September.
RSVP volunteers enjoy flexible schedules, free accident and liability insurance while serving, optional mileage and meal reimbursement and are also invited to monthly volunteer group service projects, free training and enrichment classes and social gatherings.
To learn more about RSVP, please visit http://www.rsvpnova.org or call Shannon at 703-403-5360. RSVP-Northern Virginia is a program of Volunteer Fairfax, Volunteer Alexandria and Volunteer Arlington.
