Lori Schmiege & Huey Gordon

RICKETTSFRAN10131--C-CAP Director Fran Ricketts 10/24/2013 MATT ARMSTRONG PHOTO

May 3, 2023

National Service Alumni of the Year Huey Gordon & Lorie Schmiege, CARITAS, Richmond Both AmeriCorps Alums with CARITAS, the dynamic duo of Lori Schmiege and Huey Gordon manage the CARITAS Furniture Bank operations. Lori, who served from 2010-2011, and Huey, who served from 2011-2012, both react with empathy and a resolve to “get things done,” attitudes they developed as members. They are also both willing and happy to coach and mentor other AmeriCorps members and ultimately show these members how to be excellent employees when they move on to the workforce. Since joining CARITAS staff, they have mentored 40 AmeriCorps members — that’s 40 hires, 40 written performance development plans and over 100 reviews, and 40 lives touched with daily coaching and mentoring! The tenure of service between Huey and Lori makes them a unique team spreading their light and big hearts within the CARITAS organization while doing the hard work that needs to be done. Read more Volunteer Stories! Submit a Story!

The Berry Family

Story of Service: The Berry Family

The Berry Family of Harrisonburg, Virginia, saw a local need related to food insecurity in their area. Dubbed the "Brent Berry Food Drive," in honor of their son, Brent, the family took the initiative to help meet the need. This is a massive drive that they have conducted for 15 years, with the 2022 drive being the largest ever, collecting an estimated $65,000 in food and personal hygiene items for community members in need. They donate the collected items to the local Salvation Army, effectively stocking their pantry for a large portion of the year. Rather than being forced to...

Dave and Judy Fuller

Story of Service: Dave and Judy Fuller

Life in Hanover County is better as a result of Dave and Judy Fuller. Known for their passionate and enthusiastic community volunteerism, the impact of their service can be found in virtually every corner of the county. Their enduring commitment to Hanover neighbors through numerous volunteer positions exemplifies Dave and Judy's belief in the power of community and the importance of serving others. Dave and Judy are familiar faces around Hanover, both as individuals and as a family. In addition to their careers in local economic development and public service, they are respected for their commitment to serving others through...

Virginia Beach Schools Federal Credit Union

Story of Service: Virginia Beach Schools Federal Credit Union

Congratulations to Virginia Beach Schools Federal Credit Union - winner of the 2019 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Small Business Volunteer Program! Virginia Beach Schools Federal Credit Union (VBSFCU) is creating a lasting impact on the financial literacy education of the students in their community. VBSFCU serves as a Partner in Education with Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS), volunteering annually in more than 30 schools. Each year, 18 volunteers deploy to the schools for 300 hours of service to enhance financial education through programs like Reality Store events; student-run, school-based credit unions; work and family studies;...

Barbara Johnson

Story of Service: Barbara Johnson

In her retirement, Barbara Johnson found herself with too much time on her hands, so she turned to AARP to help her find a way to get involved with her community. They connected her with the VCU Head Start program in Richmond Public Schools, where retired seniors are trained to become teacher’s aides. She loved the opportunity to learn while supporting youth, but the program limited her to a four-year contract. When that time ended, Barbara took the advice of some of the teachers she’d been working with, who recommended she get involved in the AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Program at Senior Connections. ...

Lowe’s Home Improvement

Story of Service: Lowe’s Home Improvement

Congratulations to Lowe's Home Improvement of Glen Allen - winner of the 2019 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Corporate Volunteer Program! For more than a decade, Lowe’s has been committed to serving the communities of its customers. Through the Lowe’s Heroes project, employees adopt a volunteer project with a local nonprofit organization or K–12 public school. Since the inception of the volunteer program, Lowe’s Heroes have participated in more than 1,300 projects and have contributed more than $1.3 million in materials. Last year, 14 stores in the Richmond area teamed up to serve the Virginia Home for Boys...

Shannon Britt

Story of Service: Shannon Britt

Shannon Britt served as a college adviser at Essex High School in Tappahannock, Virginia, as part of the Virginia College Advising Corps (VCAC), an AmeriCorps program. She found out about AmeriCorps when she was in high school, where she was served by a VCAC adviser. She recalls, "The 2017-2018 school year was our first year having a college adviser. During my fourth year of college at the University of Virginia, I heard someone speak to our Intro to Counseling class in the education school about the program. I was interested in paying forward the great advising I received in high school...

What’s Your Volunteer Personality?

Pair your passion with purpose. Take our Volunteer Personality Quiz and find out which volunteer direction is best for you.