Youth Volunteer Corps of Hampton Roads

February 13, 2025

As a member of the Virginia Volunteerism Network, Youth Volunteer Corps of Hampton Roads (YVCHR) engages youth, ages 11-18, in team-based service experiences that build work and life skills while inspiring a lifetime ethic of service. Established in 2009, YVCHR is the first YVC affiliate in the state of Virginia and is one of more than 40 affiliates internationally.

In October 2024, they celebrated their 15th anniversary by co-hosting the annual YVC Summit in Virginia Beach. This two-day international conference featured 24 workshops; 5 hands-on service projects that engaged over 70 youth attendees and benefited 5 local nonprofit organizations; a large-scale, immersive poverty simulation for youth and program leaders; and an epic gala for conference attendees and local Hampton Roads guests to culminate a weekend of “Lighting the Way!” through service.

In 2024, YVCHR also surpassed 100,000 total youth volunteer hours since 2009.

Acadia Czeizinger

Story of Service: Acadia Czeizinger

Acadia Czeizinger became an AmeriCorps member in August 2023 through an opportunity to serve in the Virginia College Advising Corps. She recalls, "I had just graduated from Hollins University less than a year prior, and I was already feeling restless working part-time at a local bookstore. I wanted to do something different; something that would allow me both serve my community and allow me to gain experience as a young professional." At that point, the job market was recovering from the pandemic and Acadia was struggling to find a rewarding position that would allow her to remain within her rural...

Matt Mooneyham

Story of Service: Matt Mooneyham

Matt Mooneyham found out about AmeriCorps VISTA from a conversation with his father, who shared that one of his coworker's sons did AmeriCorps after college and really enjoyed it. He recalls, "I decided to serve because I have always really enjoyed serving people, I also thought it would be a good opportunity to develop myself personally and professionally." In his current term, Matt is serving with Bay Aging, an organization providing programs and services people of all ages need to live independently in their communities. Matt engages with community members and supports Bay Aging's Regional Resilience and Equity Workgroup. He...

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

The Hope Center

Story of Service: The Hope Center

Congratulations to The Hope Center of Petersburg - winner of the 2020 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Community Organization! The Hope Center, which serves as the community outreach of Downtown Churches United, Inc. (DCU), contributes more than 14,000 hours of service to the Petersburg community annually. Providing hunger and financial relief services, The Hope Center operates the Daily Feeding Program, which includes a food pantry, help with paying utility bill payments, and regular blood pressure screenings. The Hope Center is Petersburg's largest social service charity dedicated to alleviating hunger. Access to healthy food and hunger are critical...

Lisa Dixon

Story of Service: Lisa Dixon

As a Summer 2024 Serve Virginia Honor Roll honoree, Lisa Dixon feels called to serve. She is a self-described progressive thinker who serves the Chesapeake community as a champion of organizations committed to innovation, change, and solutions to the lives of those in need. As CEO of Divine Inspiration Outreach Inc., Dixon is a full-time volunteer responsible for the oversight and administration of the Burfoot House Program for homeless women. Through this service, she leads a team of volunteers who help single women experiencing homelessness achieve self-sufficiency. In the past seven years, she has helped more than 200 women obtain...

Justin Hu & Shayla Young

Story of Service: Justin Hu & Shayla Young

Virginia's top two youth volunteers of 2019, Justin Hu, 16, of Vienna and Shayla Young, 13, of Springfield, were honored in the nation's capital last night for their outstanding volunteer service during the 24th annual presentation of The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. Justin and Shayla – along with 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country – received a $1,000 award and personal congratulations from award-winning actress Viola Davis at an award ceremony and gala dinner reception held at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals...

Teen Helps Low Income Students

Story of Service: Teen Helps Low Income Students

Six months ago, in the midst of online learning, Fairfax County teen Ian Wallace decided to use his love of building computers to help low-income students. Wallace learned his love of computers from his father, who still keeps the original desktop he built in their garage. When it came time for his Eagle Scout project, he decided to teach students of immigrant families how to build computers of their own. “Otherwise, they wouldn’t have a computer, they don’t even have enough money to buy one themself, and I thought it would also be nice since I know how to build...

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