Lee Bernstein serves with the  Virginia College Advising Corps as a College Adviser at Rappahannock County High School in Washington, VA and is one of the highest performing advisers in Virginia College Advising Corps (VCAC) history. She not only exceeds expectations in every aspect of her role, but she epitomizes servant leadership in all she does. Starting in August 2020, Lee is the second college adviser to serve Rappahannock County High School. During a time when many school staff and college advisers were discouraged, Lee served her students with efficacy and grit, relentlessly pursuing one-on-one and small group meetings with...

During the height of the pandemic, Abigail, affectionately known as Abby, excelled in creating community in a digital space when many students were cut off from the outside world. Abby served at Aspire Afterschool Learning during the 2020 summer program, the 2020-21 program year ,and the 21- 22 program year as an AmeriCorps State Member. Abby served students in our virtual program during the Covid-19 pandemic by helping them with literacy, math, social-emotional learning, and STEAM-related activities. Abby created and implemented fun activities, helped with homework, and helped make the virtual learning space engaging and supportive. She played an instrumental...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Deirdre continued her volunteer service at Meals on Wheels and helped pack meals to be delivered to those who were unable to leave their residences due to safety reasons.Her favorite aspect of volunteering is offering assistance to older adults who have a difficult time helping themselves. Deirdre has a passion for educating others on the importance of caring for older adults. She has held an adjunct faculty position at Virginia Commonwealth University since 1984. She has also been a member of numerous professional affiliations, such as the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Virginia...

“Therese has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our community, consistently going above and beyond to ensure that every individual has access to the necessary resources and support they need to succeed. Her ability to bring people together and create a sense of community has been instrumental in the success of our mentor program. Therese's leadership has been instrumental in our community, as she has successfully united individuals with legal resources, housing support, and even professional mentorship opportunities.” - Steven Johnson, a fellow mentee As the first Mentor Program Coordinator for Resilience Education, a national nonprofit organization based in Charlottesville, Virginia,...

Commitment to community has been embedded as a core value for OrthoVirginia, even before its formal founding as a practice. At any given time, over a third of the physicians at OrthoVirginia volunteer as athletic trainers and team physicians, primarily in the Northern Virginia region. As a result of their priority to support the local sports leagues and school systems, they serve as team physicians to 18 public high schools as well as a number of private schools, taking time to answer questions, provide guidance and help in the care of the students. In addition to providing a crucial service...

Respected throughout the community for their holistic and deep commitment to making a difference, the impact of Highlands Fellowship can be felt through their fierce love for those most vulnerable in Southwest Virginia. Over 2,500 individuals have been mobilized to act as catalysts throughout the community, partnering to expand the breadth and depth of available resources to serve youth and families in foster care and kinship care networks. Their continually evolving wraparound approach has made a far-reaching and long-lasting impact by building relationships, strengthening systems, and inspiring others in the community to take action. Highlands Fellowship is recognized as an...

Students at Patriot High School are encouraged to develop their full leadership potential, demonstrate integrity, understand the importance of character, and consistently display pride: pride in their accomplishments, community, and school. Members of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) Club used these values as they answered the call to serve in their local community. Each year, the students engaged in the Patriot FCCLA Club come together to contribute their time and talent to support the local community. By hosting events and service projects, club members seek to make a difference and leave a legacy that contributes to the...

Established as a nonprofit in 2019, Kids Give Back grew out of an afterschool club and a realization that there were not enough opportunities for children between 6 and 12 years old to volunteer. Since then, over 300 volunteers have completed over 3,000 volunteer hours, contributing over 2,000 in-kind donations in 2022. Youth are engaged in virtual volunteer events, Family Volunteer Days, Summer Volunteer Camps and more. Every project completed meets an identified need in the community, while inspiring the next generation of volunteers. Volunteer leaders and board ensure that students are actively engaged in projects that make a difference...

Life in Hanover County is better as a result of Dave and Judy Fuller. Known for their passionate and enthusiastic community volunteerism, the impact of their service can be found in virtually every corner of the county. Their enduring commitment to Hanover neighbors through numerous volunteer positions exemplifies Dave and Judy's belief in the power of community and the importance of serving others. Dave and Judy are familiar faces around Hanover, both as individuals and as a family. In addition to their careers in local economic development and public service, they are respected for their commitment to serving others through...

Karen Cullen has served Virginians for many years, professionally through her career in social services and by her prolific lifelong community service efforts. Since 2014, Karen can most often be found serving alongside other volunteers as the Food Pantry Director at Three Chopt Presbyterian Church. Under her leadership, the food pantry has gone from serving 25 families to 3,055 individuals each month. This dramatic increase is a direct result of Karen’s hard work, both in building capacity despite shrinking budgets and increasing need, as well as her commitment to inspire, mobilize, and support an entire community of volunteers. Karen’s innovative...