Amber Matkowski

Story of Service: Amber Matkowski

My experience with AmeriCorps was truly life changing. I completed two years of service, during my junior and senior year at Christopher Newport University. Alternatives Inc. is such a warm and friendly organization to work with. They made it a priority to train us not only to be thorough workers, but to be passionate advocates, exceptional leaders, and supportive team members. They showed me the importance of knowing your program and your team inside and now. By the end of my AmeriCorps service, I felt like I could quickly and efficiently solve problems and take on big challenges. I am...
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James Monroe High School Key Club

Story of Service: James Monroe High School Key Club

Students from James Monroe High School (JMHS) in Fredericksburg, Virginia, have been participating in Ceili Leahy Day of Service events since the fall of 2016, and these events have become a tradition for JMHS students to serve. In 2024, when the opportunity to serve on 9/11 Day of Remembrance presented itself, students from JMHS showed up in force for the after-school service project. Forty-six student volunteers from JMHS served the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank for 9/11 National Day of Service, decorating over 200 cardboard boxes that will be used for the Food Bank’s Emergency Food Assistance Program that helps provide...
RICKETTSFRAN10131--C-CAP Director Fran Ricketts 10/24/2013 MATT ARMSTRONG PHOTO

Health Wagon

Story of Service: Health Wagon

Congratulations to the Health Wagon of Wise - winner of the 2019 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Faith-Based Organization! For more than 25 years, the Health Wagon has provided compassionate, quality health care to the medically under-served individuals and families in the Appalachian Mountains. Originally sent to the region in 1980 by the Richmond Catholic Diocese, Sister Bernie Kenny began dispensing healthcare from her Volkswagen Beetle. Today, the Health Wagon is a free, mobile clinic and two stationary clinics delivering quality health care which last year treated more than 4,000 of the neediest individuals in Southwestern Virginia – 86...
RICKETTSFRAN10131--C-CAP Director Fran Ricketts 10/24/2013 MATT ARMSTRONG PHOTO

Isabel Gross

Story of Service: Isabel Gross

Isabel Gross, an AmeriCorps member with the Aspire! Afterschool Learning - Learning Links program in Arlington, saw the spark of excitement recently working with a student on his science fair project. “(My student) Brian and I were . . . building different kinds of bridges and seeing how many books they would hold before breaking. We were trying to figure out why some bridges held more books than others, and Brian came up with a number of potential factors -- length, different binding materials like glue, tape, and twine -- but could not determine conclusively which one of these had...
RICKETTSFRAN10131--C-CAP Director Fran Ricketts 10/24/2013 MATT ARMSTRONG PHOTO

Shreyaa Venkat

Story of Service: Shreyaa Venkat

Congratulations to Shreyaa Venkat of Ashburn - winner of the 2019 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Youth Volunteer! Shreyaa, a junior at Broad Run High School in Ashburn, was determined to make a difference when she saw the number of homeless people who didn't have access to food. To combat this issue, she started an organization called “NEST4US” (New Environment Starts Today) to increase awareness and action around food waste reduction, as well as rescue and redistribute edible foods to those in need. Through the NEST4U Sandwich Assembly Projects, more than 250 volunteers have fed more than...
RICKETTSFRAN10131--C-CAP Director Fran Ricketts 10/24/2013 MATT ARMSTRONG PHOTO

Justin Hu & Shayla Young

Story of Service: Justin Hu & Shayla Young

Virginia's top two youth volunteers of 2019, Justin Hu, 16, of Vienna and Shayla Young, 13, of Springfield, were honored in the nation's capital last night for their outstanding volunteer service during the 24th annual presentation of The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. Justin and Shayla – along with 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country – received a $1,000 award and personal congratulations from award-winning actress Viola Davis at an award ceremony and gala dinner reception held at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals...

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