Maurice Huff credits his alma mater, Loyola University New Orleans, with instilling an excitement for service in its students, which led him to serve multiple terms in AmeriCorps. "My first AmeriCorps term was in-person as a wellness coordinator at a homeless day shelter in New Orleans in 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic," recalls Maurice. "My second term was virtual as a communications and social media coordinator for a K-12 reading nonprofit in Oakland, California." These two terms were impactful and memorable for Maurice. "I had an amazing experience both times giving capacity to a new organization and also building new...

Evelyn Freeman, Peninsula Foster Grandparent Program Senior Corps – Foster Grandparent of the Year - Foster Grandparents are role models, mentors, and friends to children with exceptional needs.  At 91 years of age, Ms. Freeman has been serving for 14 years as a Foster Grandparent volunteer at the Discovery STEM Academy. Over the years of service with the program, she has watched many of her elementary students go on to graduate from high school and earn college degrees. Her positivity fills her students with hope and she’s always encouraging them that they can accomplish anything with commitment and hard work. Read...

Six months ago, in the midst of online learning, Fairfax County teen Ian Wallace decided to use his love of building computers to help low-income students. Wallace learned his love of computers from his father, who still keeps the original desktop he built in their garage. When it came time for his Eagle Scout project, he decided to teach students of immigrant families how to build computers of their own. “Otherwise, they wouldn’t have a computer, they don’t even have enough money to buy one themself, and I thought it would also be nice since I know how to build...

Nancy Feldner is a volunteer with the Columbia Baptist Church's Spend Yourself Food Pantry ministry in Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia. As a professional chef and baker, she first came to Spend Yourself to provide cooking and nutrition presentations for those served through the Food Pantry and saw a way to meet additional community needs. Six years ago, she initiated God's Closet (El Armario de Dios), which provides clothing and supplies to Food Pantry clients, especially those with infants and preschoolers.   She assists hundreds of families each year, volunteering more than 100 hours each month to help meet the needs of low-income...

Justin Stimpson knows the difference a bike can make to a middle school student in Cumberland County; it wasn’t so long ago that he was in their shoes. Now a member of the Hampden Sydney College class of 2023, he continued a lifelong passion for helping his community even after he left for college. As a dedicated member of the Cycling Club and Omicron Delta Kappa honor fraternity, he led the "Cares for Kids Taking Flight" program to give back to students in his hometown. Seeing the challenges facing middle school students today, Justin saw an opportunity for the program...

Congratulations to SunTrust of Richmond -- winner of the 2017 Virginia Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Corporation! Among SunTrust's corporate commitments is "employee volunteerism that helps to build and strengthen communities." This commitment and culture of caring is evident among Richmond-based SunTrust employees where more than 800 SunTrust teammates have volunteered for a host of organizations contributing nearly 38,000 hours of service! Volunteers focus on three key areas: financial education, support for the military and veterans, and continuing to help Virginia communities and residents recover from the 2008-2010 financial crisis. Nearly 3,000 volunteer hours were spent delivering...