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Mechele Hairston
Mechele Hairston
volunteers-2

Kids Give Back

Story of Service: Kids Give Back

Established as a nonprofit in 2019, Kids Give Back grew out of an afterschool club and a realization that there were not enough opportunities for children between 6 and 12 years old to volunteer. Since then, over 300 volunteers have completed over 3,000 volunteer hours, contributing over 2,000 in-kind donations in 2022. Youth are engaged in virtual volunteer events, Family Volunteer Days, Summer Volunteer Camps and more. Every project completed meets an identified need in the community, while inspiring the next generation of volunteers. Volunteer leaders and board ensure that students are actively engaged in projects that make a difference...
RICKETTSFRAN10131--C-CAP Director Fran Ricketts 10/24/2013 MATT ARMSTRONG PHOTO

Lori Schmiege & Huey Gordon

Story of Service: Lori Schmiege & Huey Gordon

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...
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Tracy Keller

Story of Service: Tracy Keller

As an honoree on the January 2024 Serve Virginia Honor Roll, Tracy Keller has been an ambassador of girl leadership since her teen years in Girl Scouts. There, she earned the highest award, the Gold Award, for creating and carrying out an elementary educational program on prevention of tobacco use. Now, more than thirty years later and as CEO of the Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast since 2005, Tracy continues to facilitate conversations that empower girls and women, and helps shape programs within her community. Recently, Tracy embraced the challenge of volunteering as the lead for the Empowering Girls...
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Bezawit Getachew Mulatu

Story of Service: Bezawit Getachew Mulatu

2024 Governor's Volunteerism & Community Service Award honoree Bezawit Getachew Mulatu is a University of Richmond (UR) pre-med and pre-law student dedicated to improving lives and fostering inclusivity.   She serves as a first responder with UR Emergency Medical Services and the Tuckahoe Volunteer Rescue Squad, as well as a volunteer clinician at CrossOver Health Ministry and with the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps. She strives to be conversational in multiple languages, including American Sign Language, and learns Braille to ensure inclusive communication in her future medical and legal roles. She also enjoys making balloon animals from surgical gloves and performing...
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SunTrust

Story of Service: SunTrust

Congratulations to SunTrust of Richmond -- winner of the 2017 Virginia Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Corporation! Among SunTrust's corporate commitments is "employee volunteerism that helps to build and strengthen communities." This commitment and culture of caring is evident among Richmond-based SunTrust employees where more than 800 SunTrust teammates have volunteered for a host of organizations contributing nearly 38,000 hours of service! Volunteers focus on three key areas: financial education, support for the military and veterans, and continuing to help Virginia communities and residents recover from the 2008-2010 financial crisis. Nearly 3,000 volunteer hours were spent delivering...
RICKETTSFRAN10131--C-CAP Director Fran Ricketts 10/24/2013 MATT ARMSTRONG PHOTO

Dogs on Deployment

Story of Service: Dogs on Deployment

Congratulations to Dogs on Deployment of Newport News - winner of the 2018 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Community Organization! Have you ever wondered what happens to pets when their military owner is deployed? Dogs on Deployment is a nationwide nonprofit organization that assists military members and veterans in finding free temporary homes for their pets during times of deployment, hospitalization, training, homelessness, and other circumstances. Additionally, Dogs on Deployment provides financial assistance to military members and veterans for the care and treatment of their pets when the cost becomes prohibitive. The Hampton Roads Chapter began three years ago and...

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