Kathy Rohacek is a member of the Spinners & Weavers Guild at the Northern Neck Heritage Arts Center, located inside the nonprofit historic landmark known as Rice's Hotel / Hughlett's Tavern in Heathsville. The guild's wares are sold in the gift shoppe and all proceeds benefit the upkeep of the 300-year-old Tavern building. When Kathy first moved to the Northern Neck, she joined the guild as a volunteer because of her love of weaving. But Kathy does so much more. "When I see a need, and no one has stepped forward, I think... well, I could do that," she explains....

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...

Abbey Pence is an AmeriCorps member serving as a first-year Virginia College Advising Corps (VCAC) adviser at Cumberland High School.   Abbey discovered VCAC and AmeriCorps while she was in high school, where she was supported by a VCAC adviser. Combining that experience with her current service, she has a unique understanding of the impact and opportunity that national service can have on those who receive support from AmeriCorps members—as well as the members themselves. "My biggest tip that I would give to any recent graduate looking at what's next for them is to try something that may be out...

As a member of the Virginia Volunteerism Network, the American Red Cross in the Virginia Region serves 118 independent cities and counties in Virginia, with a combined population of 5.8 million people, fulfilling the mission of the American Red Cross to alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. Volunteers carry out 90% of the humanitarian work of the Red Cross and volunteer engagement strategies ensure that these volunteers are able to serve in the capacity they desire and feel supported. All volunteers have a supervisor who provides meaningful...

Congratulations to the SecureTech360 - winner of the 2020 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Small Business! SecureTech360, a cybersecurity and IT consulting firm located in Springfield, has a small staff of less than 20 employees making a huge impact. Employees have committed to serving more than 300 hours mentoring students and participating in several walks to raise funds for a variety of causes. SecureTech360 has also donated more than $30,000 to several different local charities and provided more than $15,000 in scholarships monies to several nonprofit organizations dedicated to educating and serving underrepresented communities. SecureTech360 has made a...

AmeriCorps Shapes Lives You could say Max Gruber's life was greatly impacted by his AmeriCorps service. Max serves as Virginia AmeriCorps Fiscal and Administration Officer, supporting partner organizations through budgeting, compliance and the financial components of AmeriCorps, but his AmeriCorps experience started long ago as a young man fresh out of college. After being persuaded by a few close friends, Max joined AmeriCorps NCCC in Sacramento, California. "My team travelled the Western USA and had projects – called ‘Spikes’ – that included updating enclosures at the Sacramento Zoo, trail building in Bolinas, California, assisting the winter coat drive with the...