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SecureTech360
RICKETTSFRAN10131--C-CAP Director Fran Ricketts 10/24/2013 MATT ARMSTRONG PHOTO
SecureTech360
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 measurable impact over the past 10 years as a passionate advocate for women and children. They have received recognition for their community outreach, including a nomination for the Veteran Small Business of the Year Award by the Community Business Partnership. They have also been featured in the Washington Post for creating the first registered IT Apprenticeship Program in Washington, DC, and for being recognized by the Small Business Administration as a Small Business Success Story in 2016 and 2017. In 2019, their service work was highlighted by the Veteran Small Business of the Year Award from National Veteran-Owned Business Association (for serving at risk communities through volunteering and dedication to educating the youth on Cybersecurity and IT career fields. Read more Volunteer Stories! Submit a Story!
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Nicole Ambrose

Story of Service: Nicole Ambrose

Nicole Ambrose is a dedicated volunteer at the Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society, providing support throughout the year to plan the museum's school programming to meet SOL standards. Nicole says, "As an 11th grade history teacher, I always looked for opportunities to incorporate local and state history into my lesson plans. That's why the Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society is a blessing; the staff goes above and beyond to deliver quality lessons and hands-on activities for the students. Every couple of months I would walk my classes up the street, and the museum staff would greet us with...
RICKETTSFRAN10131--C-CAP Director Fran Ricketts 10/24/2013 MATT ARMSTRONG PHOTO

Northwest Federal Credit Union

Story of Service: Northwest Federal Credit Union

Congratulations to Northwest Federal Credit Union of Herndon - winner of the 2020 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Corporation! Northwest Federal Credit Union has made a strong commitment to their community by implementing a powerful community service initiative called “Transforming Lives Through Acts of We.” By partnering with many local organizations, credit union staff have countless opportunities to serve and receive 24 paid volunteer hours per year. In 2018 employees volunteered more than 7,800 hours, and donated more than $120,000 to their community partners. At NWFCU, everyone, from the CEO down, enthusiastically volunteers, working side-by-side to get...
RICKETTSFRAN10131--C-CAP Director Fran Ricketts 10/24/2013 MATT ARMSTRONG PHOTO

Olivia Gilbert

Story of Service: Olivia Gilbert

Congratulations to Olivia Gilbert - winner of the 2020 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Youth Volunteer! You could say Olivia Gilbert has been volunteering all her life. When 13-year-old Olivia was just four years old she began sending care packages to her cousin, Drew's, unit in Afghanistan. After Drew returned to the U.S. she began collecting food at her birthday parties for the Prince George Food Bank. In 2014, she began collecting food from her school and later expanded to collecting donations from her after school care organization and dance classmates. Today she receives donations from family,...
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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.  ...
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Michelle Smeltzer & Nichole Johns

Story of Service: Michelle Smeltzer & Nichole Johns

2024 Governor's Volunteerism & Community Service Award honorees Michelle Smeltzer and Nichole Johns serve the community of Warren County, Virginia, through a variety of volunteer organizations. They are committed to working for the betterment of the community, volunteering together at community organizations such as the Warren Coalition, Concern Hotline, Dinner Together, House of Hope, and Reaching Out Now. Together, Michelle and Nichole amassed close to 1,000 hours of community service in the past year.  They also serve on the Board of Directors for Hope and Rest Temporary Shelter (HARTS), which Michelle help create when she saw the need and then worked...
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Rachel Haines

Story of Service: Rachel Haines

Rachel Haines
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