Virginia Service

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Alphi Phi Alpha Fraternity, Beta Gamma Chapter
Area Served: Petersburg
The Beta Gamma Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha (APHIA) at Virginia State University is setting a nationwide example for service. They are the only APHIA chapter in the country to have 100 percent of their members participate as mentors through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Every year, more and more children are served through the mentoring partnership through the recruitment efforts of the Beta Gamma Chapter. The program has grown from 10 to 60 children in just three years. To help motivate the kids, the chapter created an Achievement Awards Program which provides school supplies to positively reinforce improved behavior, and academic performance. The results speak for themselves. Children who were mentored show improvements of 79 percent in academic performance, 79 percent in school attitude, 83 percent in school preparedness, and 77 percent in class participation. In addition, the at-risk children of Petersburg are building character traits reflected onto them by their mentors - trust, honesty, self-respect, courage, responsibility, and integrity. The brothers of Beta Gamma set an example for youth organizations everywhere to follow. Find your passion and volunteer today.
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Ebenezer United Methodist Church Men’s Group
Area Served: Westmoreland County
The Ebenezer United Methodist Church Men's Group have seen a dire need in their community to assist low income individuals, especially the elderly, with home repairs. As a small, rural county with limited resources, Westmoreland County has numerous unmet needs. Taking time off from their jobs and their families, the volunteers tackle small- to mid-sized repairs before they grow into overwhelming problems. The Men's Group works to replace windows, doors, floors, railings and stairs. Major problems such as plumbing and heating are addressed, as well. These acts of kindness have not only greatly alleviated the concerns of the homeowners, but assure the safety and health of the entire community. Find your passion and volunteer today.
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Diane Joyner
Area Served: James City County
For at risk children in James City County (JCC), Diane Joyner is a beacon of hope. For 14 years, Ms. Joyner has been a volunteer and an advocate for children and education -- helping disadvantaged, disabled, abused and troubled youth and their families. She has contributed more than 1,500 volunteer hours to the James City County community. Diane began her work as a mentor and resource parent to young mothers whose children were at high risk of abuse and neglect. She eagerly accepted the challenge, providing one-on-one guidance to parents and their children.  She later decided that she could further help the community's at risk children and families by serving as a Volunteer Emergency Family for Children (VEFC) and as a foster parent in her community.  For six years, Diane volunteered to provide 24-hour emergency respite care to abused and neglected children and families in crisis up to a maximum of 21 days.  When she realized that some families were unable to rectify their situations within the allotted time, she asked to be dually certified as a foster family to reduce trauma to the children.  For six years, Diane's volunteer service insured the well being, safety and protection of the community's most vulnerable children while also nurturing the self esteem of the parents.  She also worked to establish partnerships with leaders within the community in the areas of social services, public education and early education programs, behavioral health partners and churches. Most recently Diane was selected to serves as the volunteer Chair of the Williamsburg James City County Multi-Agency Alternative Education Task Force and has helped define a future Community Liaison and Resource Coordinator with a goal of fostering alliances and partnerships to leverage community resources and encourage new collaborations.  Diane Joyner truly embodies the true "spirit of volunteerism." As a volunteer she has advocated, mentored, served, given, collaborated and inspired others through her service to the community. Find your passion and volunteer today.
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Kristen Kaplan
Area Served: Richmond
Kristen Kaplan has taken having a sense of community to a whole new level. As an integral part of transforming the small grassroots organization, Activate Richmond, into Hands On Greater Richmond, Kristen's "go to" attitude has served as an inspiration for others. Her work has created a vehicle for others to become involved in their community. Not just involved in programmatic efforts, Kristen has rolled up her sleeves doing everything from painting houses to making volunteer treats and walking dogs. One of her major successes was to partner with the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce's HYPE (Helping Young People Engage) program. At just one of their networking events, 170 individuals signed up to volunteer. Kristen is also an active member of Junior League of Richmond. There she has played a critical role in the start up of the Community Response Committee, a program which partners skilled volunteers with a pro bono nonprofit consultant to assist a selected nonprofit program for three years. The team determines the areas of greatest need and works with the organization to achieve their goals, ultimately leaving the agency much stronger and having a higher level of sustainability. Kristen is also an inaugural member of the Greater Richmond Giving Circle which has raised $30,000 to be distributed to local nonprofits, and has volunteered with at least 10 other nonprofits in the past two years. Kristen has shown that when you get involved in your community, there's no end to what you can accomplish. Find your passion and get started volunteering today.
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Nathan Eckstrand
Area Served: Norfolk
It's not every day you meet a young person who seriously strives for "world peace" as a life goal. However, Nathan Eckstrand sees himself as a global problem solver. In 2006, he got started in Hampton Roads by serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer at the Community Mediation Center. His first task was to learn more about the technique and principles of public participation and to understand how to encourage civic engagement in the Tidewater community. Despite epilepsy which limited his ability to get around the area, Mr. Eckstrand was successful in raising funds for the organization and was able to achieve his full-time volunteer commitment. In addition, he used his talent for technology to introduce innovative solutions to studying information. Mary Flachsenhaar, assistant editor of Inside Business Magazine, thinks the world will be hearing much about Eckstrand in the future. "His thirst for knowledge and commitment to the causes of peace and justice in every corner of the planet are so admirable," she says. Find your passion and change the world you live in.
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