Volunteer Recognition
Every two years, AmeriCorps conducts the most robust longitudinal survey about volunteerism and other forms of civic engagement in the United States in partnership with the US Census Bureau. In Virginia, the most recent survey shows that more than 2.2 million Virginians volunteer each year, about 34% of the Commonwealth! This means over 231 million hours of service happen in communities each year. Volunteers make our lives better through increasing access to healthy food, building and maintaining parks and green spaces, spending time tutoring and mentoring—just to illustrate some of their impact! All together, this creates more than $5.5 billion in estimated economic impact.
Is there a volunteer in your life that you want to recognize? Someone known throughout your community for always being willing to show up and lend a hand? There are great ways to recognize and honor their service and commitment to helping others.
Virginia Recognition
For general requests and information about Serve Virginia awards, please contact VirginiaServiceInfo@dss.virginia.gov
The Governor’s Volunteerism & Community Service Awards recognize Virginians who serve across the Commonwealth. Individuals, groups, and organizations invest their time and talent in helping others and creating pos...
The Serve Virginia Honor Roll celebrates the valuable contributions of volunteers across the Commonwealth. In recognition of the service provided by over 1.8 million Virginians, the Serve Virginia Honor Roll spotlight...
AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors members serving in Virginia who have performed outstanding service to their communities are honored annually through this recognition program. Honorees will be celebrated during the v...
Regional & National Recognition
Local Awards Programs
Stories of Service
Virginians are making a real difference in their communities by volunteering their time and talents. Every day, we hear remarkable stories about how our volunteers have helped those around them. Know someone who is always helping others? We’d love to hear their story.
Barbara Johnson
Story of Service: Barbara Johnson
In her retirement, Barbara Johnson found herself with too much time on her hands, so she turned to AARP to help her find a way to get involved with her community. They connected her with the VCU Head Start program in Richmond Public Schools, where retired seniors are trained to become teacher’s aides. She loved the opportunity to learn while supporting youth, but the program limited her to a four-year contract. When that time ended, Barbara took the advice of some of the teachers she’d been working with, who recommended she get involved in the AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Program at Senior Connections. ...
Mitzi Coles
Story of Service: Mitzi Coles
Mitzi Coles recently completed two service terms and is beginning her third term as an AmeriCorps member at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), within their Dan River Year AmeriCorps program, which is dedicated to addressing community needs in Southern Virginia. Dan River Year AmeriCorps members build capacity in the region, strengthen community involvement, and address pressing needs through their focus on building the region’s science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and literacy capacity. When Mitzi first joined the Dan River Year AmeriCorps program, it was a big adjustment. She recalls, "My first AmeriCorps term was very...
Abbey Pence
Story of Service: Abbey Pence
Abbey Pence is an AmeriCorps member serving as a first-year Virginia College Advising Corps (VCAC) adviser at Cumberland High School. Abbey discovered VCAC and AmeriCorps while she was in high school, where she was supported by a VCAC adviser. Combining that experience with her current service, she has a unique understanding of the impact and opportunity that national service can have on those who receive support from AmeriCorps members—as well as the members themselves. "My biggest tip that I would give to any recent graduate looking at what's next for them is to try something that may be out...
Constance Whiteside
Story of Service: Constance Whiteside
As a Summer 2024 Serve Virginia Honor Roll honoree, Constance Whiteside is a dedicated volunteer with the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA). Here's her Story of Service in her own words: "In all my past careers—Associate Professor of Medicine at U.C. Davis, professional harpist, Senior Outreach Officer at the Delegation of the European Union to the United States—I can think of nothing more meaningful than the time I spend at AWLA. It is truly an outstanding organization in every way. The care they give animals, both for physical needs and to reduce their fear, anxiety and stress, is extraordinary. Volunteers...
Dee Dee Schrader
Story of Service: Dee Dee Schrader
As a Summer 2024 Serve Virginia Honor Roll honoree, Dee Dee Schrader's inspiration to serve comes from her grandmother. She recalls employees at the local card store asking her grandmother if they could take her coat: "They knew she would be there for hours picking cards for everyone she knew, not just for holidays or birthdays, but for bad days, sad days, and days she thought we needed a lift. She wanted to brighten people’s spirits; to let everyone she touched know they were loved. They did matter." Dee Dee reflects, "I was never forgotten by her and those cards...
Ryan Bocompani
Story of Service: Ryan Bocompani
Ryan Bocompani is a well-recognized leader and advocate for service at Christopher Newport University (CNU). He has held numerous service positions at CNU, including President of the CNU chapter of Where is The Line, where he works with fellow students and faculty to promote awareness of interrelational and interpersonal violence on college campuses. Through this service, he has helped host events such as Shadow Event, where individuals impacted by interpersonal or interrelational are given the opportunity to share their stories. In addition, Ryan has dedicated himself to creating change at CNU, assisting in creating new Title IX policies for the...
What’s Your Volunteer Personality?
Pair your passion with purpose. Take our Volunteer Personality Quiz and find out which volunteer direction is best for you.
