Senior Corps RSVP Volunteer of the Year Francine Nelson, Volunteer Prince William, Manassas Francine Nelson, a retired educator, has dedicated her time and talents teaching fourth grade students in Prince William County the skills they need to handle being at home alone at the end of the school day. The ‘Safe at Home Safe Alone” program is a partnership between Volunteer Prince William, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, American Red Cross and Prince William County Sheriff’s Office. Ms. Nelson’s participation in the program has reached more than 1,700 students, many of whom attend Title I schools. Her calm...

When Lawrence Jia saw someone close to him experience a financial crisis and face homelessness, he was moved to make a difference. He had an idea that if you could create a resource to help individuals become better informed consumers, better investors, and wiser savers…

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...

For more than 20 years, Frank and Mae Antkievicz have volunteered with the English as a Second Language (ESL) program at Walnut Grove Baptist Church in Hanover County. Of the more than 40,000 people living in Hanover County, approximately 4.5% speak languages other than English. An inability to speak English affects residents’ lives in many ways, especially for work and education. Without ESL programs, many would be unable to truly become connected with the community in which they live.  Starting their service as ESL volunteers and assistants, they now run the program serving as both directors and teachers. During their...

Congratulations to Dana Dougherty of Arlington - winner of the 2018 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Adult Volunteer! Dana Dougherty’s passion for healthy living is getting children and families moving in Arlington! Dana began her quest at Oakridge Elementary, an urban school also known as an “international neighborhood school” with a population speaking more than 40 languages. Here she spends countless hours creating and running an “all are welcome” morning fitness program and family fitness nights. Dana also realized the need for students to have “movement breaks” throughout the day in order to refocus on learning. She created 2Fit2Quit,...

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...