Congratulations to The Stewart Family of McLean -- winner of the 2017 Virginia Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Volunteer Family! Finding affordable dental care is a huge challenge and, too often, the result is that families with limited income suffer from poor dental health. The Stewart Family of McLean has made meeting this vital need a family mission -- to help build and sustain a dental program that provides free services to adults and children who could not otherwise afford care. Through the Arlington Free Clinic, George and Connie Stewart -- and their children Julie, Joy, Jenny,...

Alyssa De Las Salas learned about AmeriCorps NCCC when a friend served during her freshman year of college. She recalls, “I thought, that looks so interesting... getting to travel across the country and meet new people.” Alyssa finished her bachelor’s degree in psychology, but the opportunity remained buried in her own subconscious. A year or so after graduation, however, she had an existential crisis, unsure what to do next. That’s when she remembered AmeriCorps. She had enjoyed traveling abroad and felt like traveling within the U.S. was something that would interest her as well. Alyssa recalls, “I started reading more about it...

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...

Debbie Brubaker, a Franklin County beef and dairy farmer, has been honored with the 2019 Agriculture Advocate Award by the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization and the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry. The award recognizes Brubaker’s dedication to advancing agricultural literacy in her community for more than 10 years. In partnership with the Franklin County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, Brubaker has provided information about agriculture to an estimated 60,000 children. Over the years, Brubaker expanded a one-day dairy event at her children’s school to include 20 learning stations that teach students about topics like milking...

For Beth Rebholz, AmeriCorps has provided the ultimate pathway for her to forge a successful career in financial planning. Her interest in finance, combined with her deep-seated roots in service, led her to join as an AmeriCorps member, serve as an AmeriCorps Program Director, and eventually find her dream job! Beth got her early belief in the power of service through her mother, who served as a Hospice volunteer for most of her life and also volunteered at their family’s church. Her mother’s example of community service made the decision to join AmeriCorps a natural fit. Beth also says that...