Virginia Volunteers are Honored for Exceptional Service

Governor Timothy M. Kaine recently announced the recipients of the 2008 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Awards. These awards highlight the efforts of outstanding citizens of the Commonwealth who enhance their communities through extraordinary volunteer service. The 2008 awards were presented to groups, individuals and families at the Virginia Conference on Volunteerism and Community Service in Virginia Beach, April 24. Read about all the award winners and view the photo gallery.

Conference Brings Together Virginia's Service Community

Community service leaders from throughout the Commonwealth gathered in Virginia Beach, April 23-25, for the annual Virginia Conference on Volunteerism and Community Service. More than 500 particpants attended the three-day conference representing nonprofits, faith-based organizations, national service programs, schools and universities, and more. Workshops were presented addressing volunteer management, recruiting, fundraising, emergency preparedness, disability inclusion, and event planning. The annual Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Awards were presented at a special luncheon on April 24. Watch Governor Kaine's closing address and view photos from this year's event.

Making a Difference: Hilda Woodby

Dr. Hilda Woodby was recently honored in the "Volunteer Category" at the 2008 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Awards. Dr. Woodby was celebrated for her extraordinary commitment to service helping families devastated by violence in their homes. Her efforts helped to create the Family Advocacy Clinics, Inc. (The Clinics), which provide free or low cost quality, comprehensive psychotherapy services to all members of the family engaged in family violence. Read about Dr. Woodby and other award recipients.

Get to Know Gabriel G. Rojas

Governor's Commission on National and Community Service

As a Spanish-speaking immigrant from Bolivia, Gabriel Rojas became involved in community service at an early age. Since primary school he worked to help non-English speaking people in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area learn to speak English in order to acquire legal documentation and attain jobs.  "I felt that because my flexibility and opportunity to attain a formal education, I had a duty to help individuals with less time and more responsibilities than mine," he says. Throughout his secondary and college education, Mr. Rojas was involved in grassroots efforts for nonprofit organizations where he took on fundraising and advocacy roles.  His volunteering efforts continued as he entered his career serving as a mentor for middle and high school students throughout the Commonwealth. Mr. Rojas encourages Virginians to get involved. "If there is one message I may provide to the Virginia community, it is to be a hands-on volunteer. It does not matter how much time, but rather the consistency of one's involvement."

AmeriCorps Programs Are Making a Difference

The economic impact of AmeriCorps programs in the Commonwealth reached nearly $7 million last year according to a new report released by the Office on Volunteerism and Community Service. The economic impact is based on the value of the programs' 368,210 service hours contributed by members and volunteers. The report reveals that national service programs in the state resulted in significant efforts addressing issues in education, the environment, homeland security and other human needs. Programs throughout the state helped by tutoring nearly 14,000 students, counseling more than 15,000 youth, mentoring nearly 600 individuals, and providing nearly 60,000 Virginians with human service needs. Read the full report.

AmeriCorps Week in Virginia

AmeriCorps programs throughout Virginia will participate in AmeriCorps Week, May 11-18. AmeriCorps members, alumni, project staff members, commission members, friends, and supporters will actively promote the national service program in an effort to bring more Americans into service, salute current and past members, and thank Americorps' many partners. In Virginia, the Carroll County Public Schools Reading for Life program is collecting gently used toys and books to furnish the new children's waiting room at a government subsidized counseling center.  The City of Richmond ACES program will be assisting Habitat for Humanity with Habitat Restore, a retail outlet selling building supplies at reduced prices.  In Tidewater, Community Housing Partners' Project RISE! will be promoting AmeriCorps at one of their Community Day events. See a full list of what's going on for AmeriCorps Week in Virginia.

Free Online Training is Just a Click Away

Are you utilizing the Online Resource Center on the Corporation for National and Community Service's (CNCS) Web site? CNCS has created an informative tool for your organization to quickly find printed materials, online resources, training events and more. Select "Online Learning Center" for training on topics from everything from financial management to disability inclusion. There are more than 30 online courses which are free and created specifically to help national and community service programs succeed and thrive. Visit http://nationalserviceresources.org/ and take a look at the broad range of courses available.

Second Chance Act is Signed Into Law

President Bush recently signed into law the Second Chance Act (H.R. 1593) which aims at helping transform lives and build safer communities by helping ex-offenders break cycles of crime and start new lives. The legislation formally authorizes key elements of the successful Prisoner Reentry Initiative (PRI), announced by the President in 2004, to help prisoners effectively reintegrate into the community. Additionally, the Second Chance Act enhances drug treatment, mentoring, and transitional services for ex-offenders through partnerships with local corrections agencies and faith-based and community organizations. Find out more about the Second Chance Act.

Study Finds Virginians Concerned Over Aging Population

The Older Dominion Project (a nonprofit initiative by Virginia businesses, government, foundations, and nonprofits to help Virginia ride the age wave) has released the results of a study of residents and business leaders. A total of 1,200 residents were interviewed of which 60 percent say they are currently employed full time. Among employed boomers, 65 percent say their employer is prepared to accommodate older workers. More than 200 business leaders were surveyed finding that more than 80 percent believe their community is a good place to locate their business, and three in four rate the quality of life in their community high. One in five say the care of an aging relative or family member by employees currently affects absenteeism and productivity. Read the complete survey results.

Key to Breaking Prison Cycle is Reaching Children Early

Former Philadelphia Mayor W. Wilson Goode, Sr. recently addressed a group students enrolled in the first Richmond Christian Leadership Institute in Richmond on the subject of solutions to the issue of children of prisoners repeating a pattern of incarceration. Goode stressed the need for early-childhood learning as an effective way to combat soaring prison populations in America. As an ordained minister who was one of five people to receive the $100,000 Purpose Prize in 2006, he started Amachi, a nonprofit, faith-based program that mentors children whose parents are imprisoned. Amachi now operates 210 mentoring programs in 48 states and has helped more than 100,000 children. Read the Richmond Times-Dispatch article.