Join us in celebrating this year's honorees for the Governor’s Volunteerism & Community Service Awards! Governor Glenn Youngkin announced the ten honorees during a ceremony at the Executive Mansion on November 13, 2025, hosted by the Governor and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin. Leaders from across Virginia gathered to recognize the contributions of these volunteers and celebrate the impact of their service.
These annual awards spotlight the outstanding volunteer efforts of individuals, organizations, and businesses, on behalf of Virginians across the Commonwealth. Recognizing exceptional community service for over 30 years, the Governor’s Volunteerism & Community Service Awards are presented by the Office of the Governor, with the assistance of the Governor’s Advisory Board on Service & Volunteerism and Serve Virginia.
The event program for the 2025 Awards is available here. Keep reading to learn more about this year's honorees...
Sam founded Sam’s Warriors in 2021 after spending months at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters battling leukemia. Since then, he’s raised over $110,000, created an endowment serving more than 100 families, and become an ambassador for CHKD and the Children’s Miracle Network. Sam continues to inspire others through his Pie Face Challenge, public speaking, and service leadership—proving that gratitude and compassion can turn hardship into hope. Read more >
Outstanding Young Adult Volunteer: Esha VenkatEsha is the co-founder and COO of NEST4US, a nonprofit empowering global kindness through service. Founded when she was just ten, NEST4US has grown into a network of 8,000+ volunteers serving 300,000+ meals and supporting communities through tutoring, mentorship, and resource distribution programs. Passionate about youth empowerment and equity, her mission is to build a more compassionate, inclusive, and sustainable world. Read more >
Outstanding Adult Volunteer: Eliot Carlson Eliot is a retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief and serves as the volunteer Executive Director of Hero Kids Foundation, leading with purpose and compassion for military and first responder families. Under his leadership, the organization achieved increases in funding and programming, and has expanded community partnerships to enhance mental wellness programming and redefine accessibility in outdoor spaces. His lifelong commitment to service continues to inspire healing, inclusion, and hope for those who serve and their families. Read more >
Outstanding Senior Volunteer: Bob Gilbert As President of the Friends of Natural Bridge State Park, Bob Gilbert enhanced accessibility, preserved natural resources, and created programs such as the Children’s Discovery Area and the park’s first disc golf trail. A longtime member of the Ruritan Club, Meals on Wheels, and the Rockbridge County School Board, Bob’s unwavering service extended to education, community support, and his church. Read more >
Outstanding Independent Group: VITA Tax Clinic Volunteers at Total Action for Progress As certified volunteers, they provide free, high-quality tax preparation and financial guidance to low- and moderate-income individuals across 11 localities. The clinic returns an estimated $550,000 annually to the local economy, and empowers clients in the process. Through innovation, community trust, and dedicated volunteer leadership, TAP’s VITA Clinic sustains a long-term impact—transforming lives, strengthening communities, and serving as a regional model for accessible, service-driven financial empowerment. Read more >
Outstanding Community Organization: The Grove on PattersonThe Grove on Patterson is a 24/7 staffed residential home that provides safe, supportive housing and comprehensive care to pregnant women and new mothers struggling with substance use. Partnering with Anderson Treatment, The Grove offers evidence-based substance abuse treatment, while Restoration Housing revitalized the historic property to create a welcoming environment. This initiative fills a critical gap in local services, giving mothers the resources, stability, and guidance they need to recover and build healthier futures for themselves and their children. Read more >
Outstanding Community Response Organization: Trails to RecoveryTrails to Recovery is a volunteer-led nonprofit dedicated to rebuilding and restoring homes destroyed or damaged by Hurricane Helene in Southwest Virginia. Since September 2024, the organization has restored 92 homes, constructed 8 new homes, and acquired land for displaced residents—all at no cost to recipients. Funded entirely by donations and partnerships with organizations like Mennonite Disaster Services and Impact Missions, Trails to Recovery provides hope, stability, and healing to families affected by devastation. Guided by faith, compassion, and community spirit, its volunteers embody resilience, service, and the power of collective action to transform lives.
Outstanding Educational Organization: Adaptive Gymnastics at Virginia Health SciencesAdaptive Gymnastics was founded in 2019 as a collaboration between Eastern Virginia Medical School and Excalibur Gymnastics. The program ensures that every child can participate in gymnastics regardless of physical or intellectual disability. Now in its sixth year, the program serves over 65 athletes with evidence-based lesson plans that are led by dedicated medical student volunteers. In addition to promoting motor development, confidence, and social engagement, Adaptive Gymnastics also provides respite and community for families, conducts research to improve programming, and serves as a model for inclusive gymnastics programs statewide and nationally. Read more >
Outstanding Faith-Based Organization: The Fauquier County &The Ministers Coalition is a faith-based alliance of 20 churches in Southern Fauquier County, and has been serving the community for 34 years. Entirely volunteer-led, the Coalition dedicates an estimated 48,000 hours annually to ministries including jail and prison outreach, homeless support, senior care, youth mentorship, and annual revival services. The Coalition unites diverse congregations to address spiritual and practical needs, model reconciliation, and transform lives. Its enduring impact demonstrates how faith-driven service, unity, and leadership can uplift communities and inspire long-term social change. Read more >
CVP Windows & Doors has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to volunteerism and community service, addressing Virginia’s affordable housing crisis and food insecurity. Since 2021, they have donated materials and labor to build or rehabilitate 28 homes with Habitat for Humanity and actively support year-round initiatives at Grove Christian Outreach Center. By combining skilled trade service with hands-on volunteering, CVP Windows and Doors strengthens families and communities, exemplifying corporate citizenship that creates lasting, sustainable impact. Read more >
Outstanding Corporation: Publix Super MarketsPublix Super Markets has a long-standing commitment to volunteerism and community service. Through initiatives like Publix Serves, associates volunteer thousands of hours each year, addressing hunger and supporting environmental projects. Their Good Together Food Donation Program and Hunger Alleviation Campaign provide millions of pounds of food annually to local food banks, including over 4.5 million pounds over the last year in Virginia alone. Publix combines employee engagement, crisis response, and sustainable community investment to nourish, empower, and strengthen communities across the Commonwealth. Read more >
About the Governor's Volunteerism & Community Service Awards: These awards annually recognize the significant contributions of Virginia citizens to the life and welfare of the Commonwealth and its people. These outstanding award winners represent the millions of generous Virginians who offer their time and talents to others each year. The nominations are open from April through June annually. Learn more here.
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