Needs From: United Way of Greater Charlottesville

Make a Difference in Your Community—Right from Home!

Are you passionate about your local community and want to help others discover how to give back? We're looking for seeking enthusiastic volunteers to help us update and enrich local pages on Ways to Connect, our national directory of volunteer sites.

Ways to Connect is a crowdsourced platform designed to boost traffic and engagement to local volunteer websites—like this one! With just a bit of online research and your enthusiasm, you can help neighbors easily find volunteer opportunity platforms, service clubs, mutual aid groups, and more—making it simpler than ever for everyone to make an impact locally.

What You'll Do:

Conduct quick, simple online research to identify active service clubs, mutual aid groups, and upcoming volunteer events in your community.

Enhance your community's page on Ways to Connect by ensuring the information is current, accurate, and inviting for potential volunteers.

Optional: Promote your community’s page on social media to help friends and family find a path to service.

Why Volunteer with Inspiring Service?

Easy and flexible: Volunteer remotely at your convenience.

Immediate community impact: Help your neighbors discover meaningful ways to contribute.

Small commitment: Volunteer for as little as 2 hours, or as much as you'd like.

Growth opportunities: Volunteers can explore deeper involvement through our Ambassador program.

Ready to help your community thrive? Join us today and make volunteering more accessible for everyone.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge operates under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As the area's leading provider of evidence- based mentoring, our agency makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteer mentors "Bigs" and children "Littles", ages 6 through 16, in the Charlottesville, Albemarle, Fluvanna and Nelson communities. 

Our vision is that all youth achieve their full potential. 

Our mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. 

In our Community Based Program, Bigs and Littles get together on their own to share in fun activities that they both enjoy. Matches typically meet for a couple of hours each week or every other week. Each Match is unique and develops a schedule that works for them. 

We require at least a 12 month commitment from our Bigs and Littles. 

Getting together is a great time for both the Big and the Little. It doesn't require a special occasion or expensive activities; just a couple of hours a week to share the simple things you already like to do. Things like playing at the park, going to a museum, baking cookies, planting a garden or visiting a local orchard. 

Matches meet in the community. What they do is up to them, but we encourage no cost/ low cost activities. Outings typically last a couple of hours. During time with their Bigs, Littles gain new skills, explore new interests and expand their experiences beyond their family or neighborhood. 

The first step in the process is to contact BBBS at mjackson@blueridgebigs.org for an application, and then RSVP to our next virtual volunteer orientation session. 

Gift a student an hour of your time each week by working with children who need extra support, emotionally or academically, and enjoy the benefits of intergenerational relationships. 

Apply now for the upcoming academic year: FISH is currently accepting applicants for 2025-2026 mentoring. Training sessions will be held in September 2025.

FISH (Friends in Schools Helping) volunteer mentors work under the supervision of a teacher in a classroom setting to provide individualized attention to students, either one-on-one or in small groups, or virtually with a student with the support of the parent. Volunteers help students improve motivation, self-confidence, and socialization while assisting with academic subjects. After new mentor training (one 3-hour session) in September, JABA places volunteers based on school or family needs, volunteer interests, and location preferences. Volunteer Mentors commit to 1-2 hours per week during the school year.

In-person placements include public schools in Greene, Nelson, Louisa and Fluvanna counties and will be done primarily during school hours. Online options will be through Zoom or Google Meet, one on one. Online mentoring can be done in the evening or on weekends.

Students benefit from individualized attention and support, and mentors benefit from interactions with young people. Mentors invariably report that their lives are enriched by their students and the relationships they build. 

Highest need is for in-school, weekday mentors. Limited virtual mentoring opportunities are available. 

JABA's FISH Program has supported District 10 in VA for over 20 years.

Bilingual volunteers are strongly encouraged to apply. There is a need for mentors who speak multiple languages to help English Learner students.

To learn more about FISH or to submit an application, visit https://www.jabacares.org/fish

For more information, contact the Volunteer Services Coordinator at volunteer@jabacares.org

Training is in-person or virtual and will be held in September. All prospective volunteers must go through an application process including interview, reference, and background check to ensure the safety of our students. FISH Mentors are encouraged to attend occasional in-service trainings and events and are asked to commit to at least one hour per week for the academic year. 

Current volunteer opportunities include:

Training and support are provided. Contact Melanie Barthlow for more information.

Celebrate culture, dance, and community with us at Cville Sabroso, our largest Latin festival of the year! This vibrant event brings people together through music, food, and joyful connection, and we need your help! Please sign up HERE if you would like to volunteer the day of the event! 

Help cancer patients with limited or no transportation get to life-saving medical appointments.

Volunteers with the American Cancer Society’s Road To Recovery use their personal vehicle to drive patients to cancer-related treatment appointments.

Rides are weekdays. You choose the rides that work with your schedule. Drivers are encouraged to provide a minimum of 2 rides per month.

Volunteer drivers are ages 18-84 with

Volunteers complete online training and background and motor vehicle checks. Vehicle insurance is required. Volunteers review available rides via an online scheduling tool on a smartphone, tablet, or computer.

We would love your help!

FAQs available at cancer.org/drive.

We offer family-friendly contactless volunteer opportunities for individuals, groups or families. Fence painting, log splitting, trail clearing and more.  All ages.

CHT Volunteer Info.

The IRC houses a "Resettlement Store" where refugees can place an order for donated items. Volunteers will fulfil orders and then deliver items to clients. This volunteer role involves the delivery of items to clients.

The IRC in Charlottesville provides Cultural Orientation to newly-arrived refugees on Fridays at the IRC office.  Child Watch volunteers help entertain children in a child-friendly corner of our classroom, while their parents attend class.  Children and volunteers will always be in the presence of the parent(s) and the English instructor. Cultural Orientation is held every other Friday. Volunteers have the option to attend once a month, or more if they would like. 

Volunteer as an usher for chamber music concerts during the Festival in September and at various times throughout the year, and enjoy the concert for free!

Duties include:

For more information or to indicate interest, please contact us at info@cvillechambermusic.org with "Volunteer" as the subject line.

Do you have a heart for older adults with memory issues, and adults with disabilities? JABA's Respite and Enrichment Centers utilize volunteers to assist with activities and socialize with our members, providing companionship and a helping hand, when needed.

JABA REC Centers provide a safe, loving environment for older adults and adults with disabilities during the week, allowing them to remain independent at home while offering a welcome respite for their caregivers. JABA REC are busy, active places where members enjoy activities, outings, professional, personalized care, healthy meals, and socialization opportunities with people of all ages.

If you'd like to volunteer, let's talk! Learn more about RECs at https://www.jabacares.org/j-rec, complete a JABA Volunteer Application, linked at https://www.jabacares.org/become-a-volunteer, or email us at volunteer@jabacares.org. Application are accepted year-round.

Join the older adults at JABA's Nelson County Community Center for games, crafts, and workshops! Try your hand at leading activities or simply be an extra pair of hands to keep the day running smoothly.

For more information about volunteering, please reach out to Volunteer Services: 434-817-5287 or fill out a volunteer application: http://bit.ly/volunteeratjaba

Join the older adults at JABA's Louisa Community Center for games, crafts, and workshops! Try your hand at leading activities ors, or simply be an extra pair of hands to keep the day running smoothly. We also need volunteers to help us set up and take down our tables and chairs each day. To take a look at what the Louisa County Community Senior Center is up to, visit their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/LouisaCountyCommunitySeniorCenter

For more information about volunteering, please reach out to Volunteer Services: 434-817-5287 or fill out a volunteer application: http://bit.ly/volunteeratjaba

Join the older adults at JABA's Fluvanna County Community Center for games, crafts, and workshops! Try your hand at leading activities ores, or simply be an extra pair of hands to keep the day running smoothly.

For more information about volunteering, please reach out to Volunteer Services: 434-817-5287 or fill out a volunteer application: http://bit.ly/volunteeratjaba

Join the older adults at JABA's Mary Williams Community Center (Charlottesville) for games, crafts, and workshops! Try your hand at leading activities ores, or simply be an extra pair of hands to keep the day running smoothly. Our members are fun and friendly!

For more information about volunteering, please reach out to Volunteer Services: 434-817-5287 or fill out a volunteer application: http://bit.ly/volunteeratjaba

JABA is seeking donations for the Respite and Enrichment and Community Senior Centers!

These donations will be used to support older adults seeking social, emotional, and physical support and engagement at JABA Centers.

Please, NEW ITEMS ONLY.  Please do not include food, medications, used items, or puzzles with more than 300 pieces. We do not need yarn, costume jewelry, or greeting cards/stationery at this time.  Thank you. 

Donations Needed for Community Centers: Items in most need are in bold

Community Center Members so appreciate small gifts that are used for holiday gifts, birthday gifts, BINGO prizes, and fill individuals' needs.

Drop off at 674 Hillsdale, Dr, Suite 9 Charlottesville, VA 22901

You can also purchase items online and ship them to:

Thank you for supporting our community of older adults in this way!

Contact tcooper@jabacares.org if you would like to confirm that a certain item is still needed or to ask questions.

Join a community of older adults, volunteers, and staff by socializing, leading activities, setting up, serving lunch and more! Various locations including Southern Albemarle, Charlottesville, Louisa, Greene, Fluvanna, and Nelson. Center days vary upon location. Visit www.jabacares.org/community-senior-centers for Community Center locations and hours of operation.

Bilingual volunteers encouraged to apply.

Join older adults at JABA's Southern Albemarle Community Center for games, crafts, and workshops! Try your hand at leading activities, or simply be an extra pair of hands to keep the day running smoothly.

For more information about volunteering, please reach out to Volunteer Services: 434-817-5287 or fill out a volunteer application: http://bit.ly/volunteeratjaba

LilyPads Housing is looking for volunteers to visit UVA Children's hospital with our Care Cart.  Our Care Cart is stocked full of hospital survival essentials and comfort items (such as toiletries, snacks, eye masks, etc.) that are to be distributed to families with hospitalized children.  Volunteers visit the hospital every other Monday, from 10:45AM-2PM and may attend as few or as many shifts as they would like. 

During the shift, volunteers check-in with parents/caregivers and then pull the requested items for the families. Volunteers also mark down what items are being given out for us to record in our inventory.

Because this is a volunteer position within the hospital, Care Cart volunteers are required to undergo UVA's volunteer training and medical screening first.  We've gone through the steps ourselves and can assure you that they're easy. We are exceptionally grateful to those who choose to volunteer at the hospital with us and are willing to jump through a few extra hoops to do so!

This opportunity is currently full with the exception of the position noted below. If you are interested in other administrative opportunities, we can add you to a waitlist. Thank you!

Current administrative need: 

Administrative help needed at the Louisa and Charlottesville Respite and Enrichment Centers, scanning and saving important documents. Are you organized, comfortable with basic technology (scanning, email) and able to come into our Louisa or Charlottesville locations during business hours? If so, our JRECS need your help! While you’ll primarily be handling administrative tasks, JREC volunteers are always welcome to socialize with our members. The specific hours can be flexible and worked out with the JREC manager. Contact volunteer@jabacares.org for more information or complete our online application. Thank you!

Are you organized, detail-oriented, independent and helpful?

JABA has volunteer opportunities for occasional organizing, researching, helping with mailings or projects, help with surveys, and other administrative tasks. Should be able to work with limited supervision and be comfortable with basic office computer applications such as word and excel, and be comfortable working online and using the internet.

Most often this need is at JABA's Hillsdale offices during business hours. Orientation, training and support will be provided. This position is on-going and on an as-needed basis. 

Complete a volunteer application online at www.jabacares.org/become-a-volunteer 

We look forward to meeting you!

As a champion of JABA, Outreach Volunteer Ambassadors will participate in events across the Region 10 service area and provide information about JABA programs and services to the public. Events occur during the week and on weekends and typically are about 4 hours in duration. JABA staff will provide training to enhance your comfort level, as well as materials and giveaways to be used when tabling external and internal events. If you are enthusiastic about spreading the word about JABA's many services for older adults, adults with disabilities and caregivers, this is an opportunity for you!

SNAP Benefits Education & Outreach Volunteer (Locations across Blue Ridge Area Region and Virtual)

You will help inform and connect guests to government assistance for food, so they can benefit from improved access, quantity, convenience, and choice of food. Training will be provided.

This role requires a commitment of at least 3-5 hours per week. Work schedule flexibility is available; location assignments are based on volunteer availability and willingness to travel locally. Work can be completed virtually from home.

Learn more about this opportunity on our website: Specialized Volunteer Opportunities - The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.

Training is in late August/September; the time commitment varies although the greatest need is during Open Enrollment, from October-December/January.

Dig into the complexities of Medicare to help seniors get the insurance plan that best meets their needs – and possibly save them money in the process. Join JABA’s dynamic team of insurance counseling volunteers as they share their expertise with adults who are often unfamiliar with the complexities of Medicare. May work in person or using a virtual platform. Training and ongoing support are provided. This team in very collegial, enjoys working together, and values each person's contributions. The JABA Medicare Team is well-known for their helpfulness, knowledge, and ability to find the most cost-effective and benefit-rich Medicare options.

Volunteer Opportunities include:

Insurance Counselor - works directly with clients new to Medicare, reviewing Part D plans (pharmacy) and other Medicare issues. JABA provides step-by-step training, reviews, and support for this role. An experienced staff member or counselor is always available for questions and support. 

Greeter/Receptionist - assists clients as they arrive for appointments during Open Enrollment. Friendly demeanors most welcome!

Zoom Host - monitors and admits clients to zoom counseling sessions during Open Enrollment. We provide training and support; comfort with basic zoom technology is helpful. This position can be done remotely.

Administrative Support - assist clients making appointments, enter data, make reminder phone calls, and generally support JABA staff administrators, particularly during the very busy Open Enrollment time. 

Each position is a critical part of our Insurance Counseling Service.

Apply in July and early August to join the 2025 Insurance Counseling Team. For more information about this volunteer opportunity and the Insurance Counseling program, visit Insurance Counseling — JABA.

Are you caring, patient and have a heart for older adults? JABA needs volunteers to make monthly phone calls to our Home Delivered Meals clients. Volunteers will call the same people each month, confirming delivery and gathering information for the program. This can be done remotely or at one of our Community Centers and requires a few hours each month.

Calls are made with a user-friendly application that simplifies record-keeping and masks the volunteer's personal information. We provide training and support. Some clients welcome the opportunity to have longer phone conversations with the callers, providing critical socialization support.

Home Delivered Meals are provided to seniors who are unable to shop and/or prepare their own food. Complete nutritious meals are delivered regularly to their homes and can be easily heated. Most clients are able to choose their meals from a varied menu. 

We ask volunteers to commit to at least six months of service. 

Apply at www.jabacares.org/become-a-volunteer 

In search of new locations for blanketeers and others, to drop-off donations as Joann Fabric and Crafts is closing. These could include shops, clubs, meeting places or businesses. I will provide a container/box, simply decorated with information on Project Linus attached. Pickup schedule and other information will be coordinated with person/manager in charge.

We are in need of batting, warm n natural. Fleece, cotton and flannel; kid-friendly print. Black and white cotton thread, large zip-lock bags, masking tape, fabric markers and pastel color printing paper. Any of these items to include quilt toppers and finished blankets can be left in the dropped off box at Crutchfield store as Joann Fabrics is closing.

Help us log and map the racial covenants in Albemarle County's property records!

As part of the Mapping Cville project, we have currently gone through 70% of the racially restricted properties. With each logged record, we get a fuller map of just how widespread racist housing practices were in Albemarle County between 1890-1968.

We provide all the training you need, and within no time you'll be helping us log the details of these property records. Each record takes about 10 minutes to go through, so there is no time commitment. You can help for 10 minutes, or for 4 hours—every one is enormously valuable!

For more information or to help us, please contact Jordy Yager, the Director of Digital Humanities at the JSAAHC, at localhistory@jeffschoolheritagecenter.org

Meals on Wheels is looking for drivers to deliver ready-to-eat meals to members of our community who struggle to access and prepare food for themselves.

We deliver over 275 hot, nutritious lunchtime meals each weekday, and we need your help to deliver a meal and sense of community to our clients. We have delivery routes throughout Charlottesville and Albemarle County, both in town and in more rural areas like Keswick, North Garden, Scottsville, and Crozet.

Meet your neighbors, deliver meals with your friends, and get to know Charlottesville a bit better! For many of our clients, their delivery driver is the only person they see on any given day. You'll be delivering a lifeline to many of our neighbors in need. Your commitment could be as little as 1 hour per week between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. 

For more information call 434-293-4364, email kathy@cvillemeals.org or visit our website at www.cvillemeals.org.

Host a Food Drive for the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank!

The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank receives nourishing food from more than 1,100 food drives each year. Hosting a food drive is a fun and engaging way to fill the shelves with nutritious food to distribute to families experiencing hunger. Food drives are also a way to educate the public about the need in our community. We’re proud to partner with you and thank you. Questions or concerns? Please contact us at fooddrives@brafb.org.

Register your food drive at: Organize a Food or Fund Drive - The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank

If you’ve ever thought about volunteering for the Food Bank, and you want to ensure nourishing food and good health for all, a new role is available at rural Mobile Food Pantry (MFP) locations to support the guest experience:

MFP Guest Registration – Greet and register guests – Available locations: Orange County

This is a terrific opportunity to share your time, talent, and compassion while serving your community. Maybe you and a friend can sign-up to serve, together!

We’re seeking people with specific qualifications, and each requires a recurring time commitment (once a month on a set schedule, ongoing, plus a few hours each month for data support). If you’re interested, visit our website (Specialized Volunteer Opportunities - Blue Ridge Area Food Bank (brafb.org) to see if your skills match our needs, and then let us know if you’re ready to serve. Email lmarrs@brafb.org for more information!

Volunteers absolutely make our work possible. Hundreds of households receive nourishing food every time we distribute food at a Mobile Pantry. Join us! You will meet some fantastic people while doing meaningful work and making your community stronger. 

Speaking of Horses Incorporated is a 501C3 that provides speech therapy on horseback and therapeutic riding lessons for children with disabilities. We are looking for wonderful volunteers to lead our horses and sidewalk with our riders. No prior horse experience is required as these horses are calm and gentle. We need volunteers weekday afternoons from 2:15-6 (the full time is not expected) and at various times through out the weekends. Commitment can be as little as one lesson a week!

Distribution volunteers help prepare bags of groceries and give them out to clients. Volunteers must be able to lift 30+ pounds and make an ongoing commitment to come in once a month on a regular schedule. We're open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and generally have 2 distribution volunteers each day. You can volunteer with a friend or we can pair you with another volunteer. We will schedule a training session with you before you start volunteering. 

We provide a primary level adult education course taught entirely in Spanish. We are looking for individuals interested in being instructors for the course. If you speak Spanish, have a desire to connect with the local immigrant community, and want to help first-hand in increasing people's job opportunities and quality of life, this volunteer opportunity is for you!

Through our C'ville Builds program, Building Goodness Foundation is able to serve 40 local partners in the Charlottesville and surrounding areas each year. That includes helping other non-profits, low-income homeowners, and small businesses with their construction needs! Through our connections with designers, builders, and suppliers, we are able to complete essential repairs and renovations that keep homeowners in their homes, increase nonprofits' capacities to serve, and keep small businesses' doors open. 

All of our local projects start with an initial site visit that is conducted with a BGF staff member and a skilled volunteer - which could be you! At the initial visit, we meet with the partner or homeowner to assess their needs and look over the site or building. We are seeking skilled builders who have an eye for detecting issues and finding solutions as we rely on our volunteers to help us determine project priorities and needs. Builders that can assess all aspects of a building are preferred, but builders with a specific specialty are welcome too!

Site visits usually take place within Charlottesville and the surrounding counties. They typically last half an hour to an hour. 

Please reach out to volunteer@buildinggoodness.org or call 434-973-0993 if you are interested in helping out!

Building Goodness Foundation (BGF) is a non-profit construction organization. We partner with the highest-quality non-profits to design, build, renovate and repair structures which increase our partner's capacity to do great work. Through initiatives like C'ville Builds or BGiA, we also assist local low-income homeowners with home repairs and renovations.

BGF needs skilled construction volunteers to help with our ongoing projects. BGF has a special need for individuals or companies who are willing to act as Volunteer Project Managers to help with projects of all sizes, from building a greenhouse for a local school to repairing a homeowner's deck to renovating a nonprofit's offices.

Learn more about our organization at our website: www.buildinggoodness.org

Please email: volunteer@buildinggoodness.org to volunteer, or call our office with any questions: (434) 973-0993

We are always looking for in-store volunteers at both Twice Is Nice 1 in Preston Plaza and Twice Is Nice 2 beside 5th Season. There are several departments, and we'd love to chat with you about them. Our in-store shifts minimum of 2 hours and they can be weekly, monthly, or anything in between. We really need help Cashiering, Processing Donated Clothes and Steaming Processed Clothes before they go out on the floor. 

You earn store credit for every hour you volunteer!

Email volunteers@twiceisnicestore.org to learn more. We'd love to have you!

Our current pressing need is for strong Volunteers to help our pick-up team with picking up donated furniture items. You would meet us at the pick-up site, help move items out to the van and load the van and then you are done. This would be a huge help to our team. 

We are always looking for in-store volunteers at both Twice Is Nice 1 in Preston Plaza and Twice Is Nice 2 beside 5th Season. There are several departments, and we'd love to chat with you about them. Our in-store shifts minimum is 2 hours and they can be weekly, monthly, or anything in between.

You earn store credit for every hour you volunteer!

Email volunteers@twiceisnicestore.org to learn more. We'd love to have you!

*Please note this opportunity happens remotely in your own organization or space. Items should be collected and organized off-site and dropped off at The Haven once prepared.*

There are many community members -- both unhoused and those living in extreme poverty -- who depend year-round on The Haven day shelter as a resource center providing basic necessities like food, hygiene products, and free laundry services, as well as access to critically-needed housing programs.

We’re grateful for your help meeting some of these basic needs, especially during the cold, harsh winter months. Items can be placed in whatever "pack" you have: recycled grocery bags (paper or plastic), reusable totes, gallon ziplocs, drawstring bags, or any other type of bag.

Each pack must consist of the following items:

Once you’ve collected the supplies and organized the packs (at your own location), please reach out to Ocean Aiello to coordinate a drop-off. Drop-offs can occur any weekday between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to ocean@thehaven.org or 434-973-1234 ext. 103 with questions. We are grateful for your willingness to participate!

On-Going House Needs:

If Online shopping is your thing, click here to send items directly to the House from Amazon:  Amazon Wish List

A Welcome Bag is given to each family that comes into the House. Collect items, provide totes, assemble them in attractive ways, or just bring them as they are for us to add to the bags. We stock them with essential items – a blanket for the hospitalized child, a stuffed animal, nail grooming or other grooming kits for parents, mints, coloring books and crayons or colored pencils, paper and pens for note taking, chapstick, etc. This helps us provide the extras that welcome a baby, pamper a mom, or take a little stress off a dad. Pacifiers, rattles, bibs, medicated creams, soft outfits, diapers and the like will bring comfort to a newborn and help mom.  Rich lotions, lip balm, sunblock, sanitary items, nail grooming kits, slippers, socks or flip flops, a new brush or comb will give mom a lift. A harried dad can use razor blades, socks, some energy bars, the distraction of a book of crossword or Sudoku puzzles. And siblings can be placated with puzzles, craft items, small toys and action figures, a deck of cards, healthy snacks and books — no gum, play dough or nail polish, please!

In our Adopt the House Program, an individual, group, family or business commits to providing essentials for the House for one week -- perishable items like fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk and bread; cleaning supplies to keep the House bright, cheery and healthy; or basic toiletries, like soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste for families that need them. Sometimes people that adopt the House choose to purchase needed items themselves and sometimes they donate gift cards or cash for staff members to purchase the needed items.

Needs vary from week to week. One week we may need an extra gallon of milk. Another week, it might be supplies for dinner on a night we don’t have a meal scheduled. It all depends on the needs of the House and the number of families in the House at the time.

Every donation, large or small, helps families who are far from home and dealing with a sick or injured child.

Neighborhoods, work groups and families can join together for a good cause. This can be a one-time or recurring opportunity.

Reclaimed Hope Initiative is a local nonprofit that exists to serve families navigating foster care, adoption, and children with disabilities. Our goal is to bring wrap-around services to every member of the family, allowing hope, healing, and family support in order to limit burnout and secondary traumatic stress in caregivers, as well as limit the use of hospitals, residential facilities and group homes for youth with a traumatic past. Our long term vision is to prevent families from having to separate due to trauma, crisis or hardship.

The success of our organization is dependent entirely on the financial support of donors and the consistency of our volunteers. We have been fortunate to sustain our programming through the COVID-19 pandemic, however we are hopeful to expand our ability to serve families in our community in a greater capacity this year with support from community members like you!

 We are looking for volunteers in the following categories:

 *Requires Training

Please sign up here if you are interested in volunteering and learning more about us ! :) 

Thank you for your consideration!

Photo editors review photos and edit / cull a reasonable number of good photos and post them to an on-line site for the event contact to approve. Photo editors are trained and supervised by the Photography Interns. Please fill out our Volunteer Application, or contact our volunteer coordinator at music-volunteer-coordinator@virginia.edu with your portfolio or any questions.  Editors can work in the office in Old Cabell Hall, or at home.  We prefer volunteers with knowledge of music and photo composition

UVA Music needs concert ushers to help create a welcoming and safe environment for our patrons. Ushers scan or tear tickets, distribute programs, direct patrons, and assist with any unforeseen issues. Must have neat appearance, pleasant and patient demeanor and enjoy interacting with the public.  Ushers fill out a Volunteer Application then sign-up to Usher on our Sign-Up Genius concert sign-ups (Concert Usher Sign-ups).  Contact our volunteer coordinator at music-volunteer-coordinator@virginia.edu with any questions. Information you might need can be found at: https://music.virginia.edu/usher-information

Photo volunteers take photographs of concerts, events, lectures, faculty, students, visiting scholars and artists. They then cull their photographs to a reasonable number of good photos and post them to an on-line site for the event contact to approve. Photo volunteers are trained and supervised by the Photography Interns. Please fill out our Volunteer Application, or contact our volunteer coordinator at music-volunteer-coordinator@virginia.edu with your portfolio or any questions.

LVCA seeks compassionate and enthusiastic volunteers to tutor adults in reading, writing, or speaking English. Our students come from various backgrounds and hope to acquire the skills they need to independently pursue life goals, support their families, and contribute to their communities. Help our students achieve their goals by registering for a new tutor training class. No teaching experience is necessary—only a desire to make a difference in an adult learner's life. 

TYPES OF TUTORING

After completing training, volunteers will meet with the Program Manager to discuss availability and student preferences.

WE PROVIDE

Tutoring can be done in person or virtually. Volunteers must do all in-person tutoring in a public location. LVCA has multiple tutoring rooms at our Jefferson School City Center office. 

Learn more at https://literacyforall.org/. Please email Volunteers@literacyforall.org if you'd like to learn more. 

Office volunteers answer our phone, talk with clients, and enter food orders into the computer. Requires some computer proficiency. Once trained, office volunteers work independently. We ask office volunteers to commit to one shift a month on a regular schedule. Shifts are 9:00am–12:30pm, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Drivers pick up bags of non-perishable food from our pantry on Angus Road and drive them over to our distribution site on Harris Street. This is short shift, from 12-1pm, and recurs once a month on a regular schedule. We usually have 2 drivers for each day we are open: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. You can volunteer with a friend or we can pair you with another volunteer.

Seminole Trail is looking for Courier services. Pickup and drop off  new/repaired fire department small tool equipment weekly at various locations around Charlottesville. This can be done in conjunction with your own errands you are running. 

This person or persons will help the EFVA two afternoons a week to answer questions from clients, prepare educational materials and come up with good fundraising ideas. 

Seminole Trail Volunteer Fire Department is looking for Volunteer(s) that can come by ~2 - 10 hours a month and help with a variety of support tasks. These task include: supply shopping, small engine/small tool repairs, building handyman, flower bed planting/maintenance, light laundry services (bedding wash), ect.

Based on your skills and desires, we would pair the right support task with you. If you have a special skill not listed, let us know, we may have a task that you could easily fill. 

If interested - Reach out to Chief Greg McFadyen - greg.mcfadyen@stvfd.org

We are open Mondays and Thursdays 10-2 and now Saturdays 10-noon and need volunteers to help in our warehouse. Volunteers to assist in all areas of operation including greeting clients and equipment donors; processing and inventorying donated items; cleaning equipment; assisting clients with requests, stocking equipment and supplies. This position does require alot of walking as well as light lifting. If those days do not work with your schedule, after training, volunteers can come on other days to do cleaning or inventory when we are officially closed to the public. Ideally, volunteers will commit to a 2-4 hr time on a specific day and can help on that scheduled day/date each week.  Consistency helps with the training process and the volunteer's ability to best serve in the work we have at the warehouse and for our communities needs. Please contact us if you would like a tour of our warehouse to see if you would like to join our ABF volunteer family and our mission to serve those in need!

Volunteer will have knowledge of Weebly and will assist with updating our current website and adding pages for specific fundraising events. Volunteer will also help with deleting  and adding pictures of our pediatric equipment to help keep this current for our clients in need to view

MENTORING at C4K...

Mentors provide weekly, hour-long, sessions over 3 to 4 months (late August- early December or mid-January to early May). Learning partners spend their time engaging in hands-on activities, learning new skills, exploring software applications, and producing projects that have meaning and relevance in their lives. Each pair’s projects represent an investment of time and effort together and result in the demonstration of mastery of new skills.

Get matched with one of our youth members and work on exciting STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) projects together.

Group Mentoring
Create and explore alongside our youth members in our Clubhouse

Mentors create a positive impact on the lives of local youth. Through meaningful engagement with student interests, mentoring encourages both personal and professional growth and social and economic development.

Successful mentors are curious with an openness to learning together. It is essential to have a genuine interest in working with youth. C4K provides mentors with training, support, and access to learning tools. Mentors just need to bring curiosity and excitement.

Keswick Sensory needs volunteers willing to make a difference in the lives of children with autism. We provide a day of fun, adventure, and learning for these children at no cost, supported entirely by our volunteers and supporters. There are many roles on the farm for our volunteers to fit into depending on individual skills and interests. Our volunteers, led by our staff members, support the family throughout their experience during the day. Our day experience for the families includes horseback riding, interacting with livestock such as goats, pigs, and sheep, tackling obstacles on our 1/4 mile walking trail, and crafts. Lunch is included for families and volunteers. Volunteers are able to participate in the full experience, or to find the role they are most comfortable with. If you are interested in making a difference for these families, please reach out!

Volunteer opportunities are available in The Haven’s day shelter and kitchen every day of the week. Come join our lively team of volunteers and staff to support neighbors experiencing homelessness!

Volunteer requirements:

18 years of age or older

can commit to 1-2 volunteer shifts per month

Prepare and serve healthy breakfasts (chop vegetables, cook eggs, make coffee, serve on the line, wash dishes, clean up)

Sort food donations

Prepare vegetables and fruit for storage and for upcoming meals

Greet and tend to the needs of guests at our welcome desk

Assist guests with filling out paperwork and job applications or scheduling appointments

Disperse needed items to guests, such as laundry detergent, soap, shampoo, lotion, and toothbrushes

Become a Love...No Ego Mentor or Love...No Ego Mentor Assistant

Bethel Church of God in Christ is in need of some structural floor repair at our community outreach center. 

Skilled labor and a few volunteers are needed to perform the work. It is my guess that the work will take approximately 2 weeks to complete depending upon the skill set and availability of workers. 

 All work will be done inside of facility. Email Pastor William Ward at governorwd1@gmail.com if you are interested.

Supplies needed:

Carpenter tools

Lumber

Nails 

The PVCC Community Garden is always looking for volunteers who are interested in gardening and/or helping out the hungry in our community. We have a gorgeous garden space and are an all volunteer efforts. It is not necessary to be a gardener to help (though that's nice). We have individual garden beds, native plant beds, communal flower and herb plots. Most of the helping involves watering, wedding, harvesting, or general upkeep of the space. It's a wonderful community of people - some have been with us for a decade or more while others are brand new. Come get involved! We have tools and gloves available. If interested, contact garden coordinator David Lerman at garden@pvcc.edu. 

ABF now has a mobile unit that sets up at a partner site in each surrounding county. We need volunteers to assist our mobile unit manager with assisting clients with items needed and with assisting donors when dropping off donations. We are at each site on specific days of the week from 10-noon.

Mondays: Nelson County at Food Lion parking lot in Lovingston

Tuesdays: Buckingham County at First Baptist Church

Wednesdays: Fluvanna County at Cunningham Methodist Church

Thursdays: Louisa County at St. James Episcopal Church

Fridays: Orange County at Journey Church (near Tractor Supply)

If you live in one of these counties and would like to volunteer to serve those in need in your community, please contact us!

All medical equipment that is donated to ABF needs cleaning before we give it to someone in need. ABF is in need of volunteers to help with cleaning these items. Volunteers will be training during "open" hours of Mondays and Thursdays 10-2 and Saturdays 10-noon. After training, volunteers my opt to change their schedule to Wednesdays and/or Fridays with more flexible hours. Volunteers need to be physically able to lift up to 25lbs.

Spring has officially spring at Autism Sanctuary! Come enjoy nature while assisting us with our trail maintenance.

We have constructed three trails to increase the area which our visitors can enjoy. Removing leaves and fallen limbs from the trail system is an ongoing requirement. 

Connect with Casey Clarke directly to schedule a time to help. You can reach her by phone (434-989-0581) or email (casey@autismsanctuary.org).

Thank you for your continued support of our organization!

The Medical Transportation Volunteer will work closely with the Health Liaison and Healthy Futures AmeriCorps member to assist with addressing clients’ transportation needs to medical appointments, as well as other tasks that ensure that clients’ health needs are being met.

The IRC in Charlottesville Youth Mentoring program (MYVA) serves refugee youth or young adults (15-24) to help them positively navigate new communities and advance their educational and vocational goals.  Adult mentors in the Charlottesville community are paired with a mentee and help guide the youth through important life transitions and decisions.  Mentors can form a long-term relationship with their mentee—meeting at least once a month for a minimum of 1 year.  IRC provides ongoing training and support for the Mentors in the program, with regular follow-ups to set goals and track progress.  Participating in the program is expected to be a mutually beneficial and rewarding opportunity for both youth and their Mentor to build intercultural understanding and broaden cultural competency.

Provide round-trip transportation to Youth events.

New Roots Charlottesville supports refugee food security and aids in their transition to the community through gardening, nutrition education, local food access initiatives and small business farming. IRC currently manages New Roots Farm and a few community gardens around town, in addition to providing training and support to numerous additional locations. Help staff and farmers out with ongoing projects (e.g. planting, cleaning, harvesting, organizing, etc).

 ESL Class Assistants provide support with English language lessons, cultural orientation, and friendship to newly arrived refugee individuals or families in a classroom setting. Tutors will concentrate on improving the client’s employability and ability to communicate and succeed in their new life by building practical vocabulary, answering their questions, and encouraging them with social interaction and support.

We are always in need of crafting supplies and basic first aid supplies, and our Outrageous & Odd Wish list has more ideas!

Please visit our wish list CHT Wish List

Camp Holiday Trails can pick up donations if needed.

*Please note this opportunity happens remotely in your own organization or space. Items should be collected and organized off-site and dropped off at The Haven once prepared.

There are many community members -- both housed and unhoused -- who depend on The Haven day shelter as a resource center providing basic necessities like hygiene products and free laundry services. For former guests and community members experiencing severe housing instability we provide folks to-go "hygiene packs" with the most-requested hygiene supplies.

The items can be placed in whatever "pack" you all have: recycled grocery bags (paper or plastic), reusable totes, gallon ziplocs, or any other type of bag.

Each pack must consist of the following items:

- 1-2 rolls of toilet paper

- ziploc bag of laundry pods or powder detergent (enough for a few loads)

- bar of soap

- stick of deodorant

- disposable razor

- full-sized toothbrush and toothpaste

Additional items can be added, such as shaving cream, shampoo, or washcloths, but are not necessary.

Once you’ve collected the supplies and organized the packs (at your own location), please reach out to me (Ocean Aiello) via phone or email to coordinate a drop-off. Drop-offs can occur any weekday between 7:00 am and 5 pm. 

Don’t hesitate to reach out to ocean@thehaven.org with questions (about the packs or The Haven in general!). We are grateful for your willingness to participate.

We are in the final stages of opening a day program for Autistic adults.

We could use some assistance with fundraising to enable us to hire staff and enable us to serve the overwhelming need for this service in our community.

6 volunteers to paint trim area around building that will require use of an extension ladder

paint brushes and rollers

repair wood framing around two entry/exit doors

work can be schedules whenever volunteers and committed to task

4-6 hours maximum time requirement

Email governorwd1@gmail.com if you are interested 

We have vulnerable seniors on a waiting list for this program until we have more volunteers!

AIM has multiple empty slots for volunteers to deliver bags of food or paper/cleaning products to our Senior Reach Program clients. These are especially vulnerable seniors who rely on our deliveries to get through the month. For some, this is the only visitor/in person interaction they have all month long. You can volunteer once per year or once per week - we will accommodate your schedule! We provide everything you need to bring them - you provide your time and vehicle. We have urgent needs for additional volunteers in order to expand this program. 

AIM has provided services to those in crisis in Charlottesville and Albemarle County for more than 42 years! www.aimcville.org

www.facebook.com/AllianceIMCville

The first Tuesday of every month, the Landscape Crew of RVCC's Building & Grounds Committee gathers for two hours beginning at 8:00 AM to tackle gardening & landscaping projects - generally some pruning, some weeding, or some thinning and transplanting.  We'll start you off with a cup of Trager Brothers' freshly-roasted coffee and hydrate you with fresh mountain water from our well!  It's outdoor work, so it's weather dependent, and suitable gear would include work gloves, hats, long pants, sun protection and some bug repellant.  It would also help if you could also bring gardening tools, including trowels, pruners, loppers, hedge trimmers, etc.  Thanks!

Help save lives in your community by supporting blood collection.
Did you know someone in the US needs blood every two seconds? To meet this critical need,
the American Red Cross is looking for friendly, customer focused individuals to volunteer at
blood drives in your community. The primary role of a Blood Donor Ambassador volunteer is to
engage with donors by greeting, registering, answering questions, providing information, and
supporting them through the recovery process at the refreshments table. The special attention
volunteers give helps create a favorable impression that encourages ongoing donor support.

For more information, please contact Betty Whittaker at 540-525-9029 or email at betty.whittaker@redcross.org.

Blood Donor Ambassador

Help save lives in your community by supporting blood collection.
Did you know someone in the US needs blood every two seconds? To meet this critical need,
the American Red Cross is looking for friendly, customer focused individuals to volunteer at
blood drives in your community. The primary role of a Blood Donor Ambassador volunteer is to
engage with donors by greeting, registering, answering questions, providing information, and
supporting them through the recovery process at the refreshments table. The special attention
volunteers give helps create a favorable impression that encourages ongoing donor support

For more information, please contact Betty Whittaker, betty.whittaker@redcross.org or call 540-525-9029.

At Wildrock, we believe in sourcing materials second hand whenever possible. We welcome donations of gently used Crocs, woodland creature stuffed animals, nature-related costumes, craft supplies and magnatiles. All materials are used by thousands of children in the community who are included in our nature play programs. Thank you for considering. 

We have 2 courtyards at our facility. One of them has already been adopted and spruced up. The other one is in serious need of the deck being treated and painted, brush being cut back, etc. The courtyard could use some serious TLC in order to provide the residents with an ability to safely go outside and heal. 

Volunteers will help with calling on local businesses seeking sponsors for our new Disability Resources United online guide.  Sponsorship will help ABF to raise funding for our organization. We also need continued help with brainstorming new fundraising ideas throughout the year.  At least a third of our donations should be from our fundraising efforts and each year we need assistance with finding new avenues to pursue to achieve this goal.  We hope you will join our ABF family if you believe you have the skills to help us with our fundraising needs.

Volunteers are needed to help support migrant student academic goals and mentoring needs. Volunteer settings vary from schools, to homes and community centers, and migrant agricultural camps.

Do you enjoy helping children and their families learn together in a fun, engaging environment? Did you spend time at the Virginia Discovery Museum as a child and want to give back to the next generations? Looking for a volunteer opportunity that allows you to be a kid again? Then you may be the perfect fit to be a Gallery Volunteer!

The Virginia Discovery Museum is looking for volunteers to maintain the galleries, help prep and run fun programs, assist with birthday parties, and keep the museum running each day. This position is full of opportunities to socialize with families from all over the Charlottesville community and beyond. Volunteer regularly and you’ll recognize our members and get to know the best way to have fun and learn with our exhibits.

Museum hours are Monday through Saturday 9:30am-5pm, and open for reserved parties on Sunday. Shifts are 2 hours minimum. Vaccination against COVID is required.

The Virginia Discovery Museum is looking for enthusiastic volunteers to work at our front desk 2.5-3 hours each week! You will be the first person welcoming families into our space, and we will provide training in operation of the Front Desk computer’s point of sale system. Other skills needed are the ability to lightly multitask, answer and relay phone calls, and most importantly to socialize with and help visitors of all ages and backgrounds. This is a sedentary position, but still a great opportunity to meet new people, form relationships with VDM members, and share your Cville knowledge with out-of-towners! Other benefits include free parking and admission passes, and the option to do your own thing (read, knit, etc.) at the desk during our slower hours. 

Museum hours are Monday through Saturday 9:30am-5pm, and open for reserved parties on Sunday. Shifts are 2 hours minimum. All volunteers are required to be vaccinated against Covid.

A community member with strong communication, sales, and diplomatic skills to represent the fire company at local civic and Albemarle County events to share the unique needs of the Stony Point community in general, and the fire company in particular.  Duties include attending and participating in the occasional Albemarle County meeting, civic meetings, and network with local churches and neighborhood groups to discuss various fire company services and needs. 

As the operational members are usually focused with more important tasks during events and gatherings, we often don’t have the ability to capture media of what we are doing.

This position would be ideal for a person with a moderate background in professional photography.

This is a community member with strong communication and organizational skills to assist the fire company with organizing office files, correspondence, and station records. Approximately four hours a week.  Day/times are flexible..

This is a charismatic person with good communication and organizational skills to help our membership and recruitment committees with outreach and onboarding of potential members.

The Stony Point Volunteer Fire Company is actively seeking volunteer firefighters, EMTs and driver pump operators. To volunteer in our community, you don’t need any prior experience or training. All of the training and certifications will be provided to you free of charge by the department. If you have been curious about becoming a volunteer firefighter, EMT or driver pump operator in our community, please contact membership@spvfc.org, and our membership committee will guide you through the process step-by-step.

Recruiting in the areas of:

Garden Guardians who weed, mulch, and maintain the Garden site.

Garden Ambassadors who learn about Garden plans and happenings and work as tour guides and man Garden tables at outreach events.

Blog Writers who can write seasonally appropriate essays about experiences at Garden events or just things in the Garden for posting on the website.

And more!

Please fill out the volunteer form here.

The Department of Drama and the Virginia Theatre Festival at the University of Virginia need volunteer ushers to assist patrons find their seats, distribute playbills, and answer general questions.  Ushers also assist during intermission and post-performance.  Training is provided and all volunteer ushers see the show for free!

Performances of UVA Drama productions are generally evening performances during Fall and Spring semesters.  Generally 2-3 productions per semester and each production has 3-6 performances.  These productions would include plays or musicals, and dance concerts.

The Virginia Theatre Festival is the summer professional theatre at UVA.  Performances of VTF productions are both evening and matinees running late June through early August.  Generally 2-3 productions per summer season and each production has 5-12 performances.  These productions would include plays,  musicals, and staged readings.

The Ivy Creek Foundation, which is tasked with caring for and conserving Ivy Creek Natural Area and River View Farm, is looking for volunteers who have an interest in the outdoors and would want to lead hikes that focus on various kinds of flora and fauna.  You get to choose the type of hike that you want to lead based on your interest and background.  These hikes can focus on mostly children, families, or adults. These hikes take place year-round depending on the weather and will typically be scheduled either on a weekday afternoon or early evening or on the weekend.  For more information, please contact susie@ivycreekfoundation.org. 

The Ivy Creek Foundation is currently looking for volunteers who are interested in history, with a focus on local, African American, agricultural, and women's history.  We are seeking individuals who would be interested in giving tours of historic River View Farm, which includes the Carr/Greer family cemetery, the home that was built in the 1880s, and the historic barn built in the 1930s.  These tours primarily take place on the weekends from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm and last about 45 minutes.  These tours typically run from April to November and the commitment required is once a month.  There will always be two Docents on-site for safety purposes.  For more information or questions about these volunteer opportunities please contact susie@ivycreekfoundation.org. 

Monticello is seeking friendly individuals who are interested in American history and enjoy sharing it with guests of all ages from around the world. Our Education & Visitor Programs Volunteers staff our Visitor Center gallery spaces and assist in the Monticello mansion in auxiliary roles.  Volunteers are given extensive training and can enjoy a rich program of ongoing educational opportunities.

Shifts are available 7 days a week, and are about 4-5 hours in length.  We ask for a commitment of 4 shifts per month.   Please contact us if you wish to learn more about this position and join our volunteer community. Email ayousuf@monticello.org or call 434.984.9889.

The busy season is here and we need your help in the shop!  Monticello is seeking friendly volunteers to provide outstanding customer service in the Museum Shop located in our Visitor Center.  The shop has a wonderful selection of merchandise including housewares, books, jewelry, handmade items and a garden section featuring plants and seeds from the Monticello garden.  As a nonprofit organization, our retail sales are vital to help support our mission of education and preservation.  If you enjoy being part of a team in a retail environment please consider joining our team today!

Shifts are 12-4 pm -  Th, Fri, Sat, Sun; minimum commitment of 2 shifts per month required.  Training will be provided.  

For questions or to sign up contact Ayesha at 434.984.9889 or ayousuf@monticello.org 

http://www.monticelloshop.org/

GIVE CHILDREN A VOICE IN THE SYSTEM
When you advocate for children who are in the foster care system due to allegations of abuse and neglect, you help ensure that they get the medical, emotional, and educational support they need. You give them a voice in the system -- a voice in their recovery and in their future. And you give them hope.

WHO ARE CASA VOLUNTEERS?
CASA Volunteers come from all walks of life, but they share a compassion and a commitment to improving young lives. If you are interested in one of the most challenging and rewarding of Volunteer opportunities, we will train you to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate, also known as a CASA Volunteer. 

HOW MUCH TIME DOES IT TAKE TO BE A CASA VOLUNTEER?
On average, CASA Volunteers invest about 15 hours each month in their advocacy.

WHAT IS THE FIRST STEP?
The first step is to register for an Information Session. To see the current schedule, click here. You can also go pcasa.org and click on the red Volunteer button. Scroll down to the blue bar that reads: How do I become a CASA?

JOIN US
Because when we build strong children. we build a strong community.

Are you obsessed with order, and proud of it? If so, we want you! We are seeking detail-oriented individuals to help in our library. No experience needed; our amazing librarian will tell you everything you need to know. Duties may include:

Actual duties will vary with needs of the library and staff. Shifts are scheduled as needed by staff, Monday – Saturday. Join Us!

The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society is seeking volunteers with research, writing, and social media experience to assist with various publication and marketing projects.

The volunteer will:

- assist staff with research projects (citing sources, fact checking, editing, and/or finding photographs)

- writing social media posts and contributing to the local wiki Cvillepedia.org

At the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, we are dedicated to collecting and preserving the whole complex history of the area and its people. Where hidden, we seek to uncover. Where ignored, we seek to reprioritize. Where mythologized, we seek the facts. Where known, we seek to enrich our understanding of how the past informs the present. And, we need your help to share this important and fascinating history with others. We are seeking friendly and professional individuals who love to learn to join our team of Volunteer Tour Guides. You can help us achieve our mission to inform, inspire, and bring people together by sharing stories and answering questions about the intriguing history of the greater Charlottesville area.

We will provide you with well researched information and the tour routes. We will schedule the tours and provide you with other support. All you have to do is learn some local history, be willing and able to lead a walking tour that covers about 1/2 mile and lasts about an hour any time of year, and tell factual yet compelling stories. At the ACHS, we believe that everyone has a story to tell.

Do you enjoy doing yardwork?  We have many neighbors in need who are disabled and are in need of help with taking care of their yard. We are looking volunteers who are willing to to mow grass, weed flower beds, and trim bushes.  If you are willing to help a neighbor in need, reach out to us at (434) 977-7777.

Do you love being outside? Our outside loves you! Pull historic weeds! Helpers of all skill levels needed to weed flower beds.  Bring your own gloves, hand tools and water.