Northern Virginia’s young people will join millions of others around the world for Global Youth Service Day, April 26 to 28th, 2013. Now in its 25th year, Global Service Day recognizes the positive impact that young people have their communities 365 days a year. As the largest service event in the world, Global Youth Service Day is celebrated in more than 100 countries and all 50 states.

Volunteer Fairfax was selected to serve as a Global Youth Service Day Lead Agency by YSA (Youth Service America), the founder and chief convener of Global Youth Service Day. The designation includes a $2,000 planning grant from YSA and State Farm®, as well as ongoing support, technical assistance, and networking opportunities with other youth-service leaders across the nation.

Volunteer Fairfax is a nonprofit organization that reaches out to other nonprofits around Northern Virginia that intertwines volunteers and resources to meet community needs. The mission of this organization is to meet community needs through utilizing values including people, integrity, diversity, excellence and collaboration.

Learn more and browse service activities around the world on the GYSD Map at www.GYSD.org. Follow Global Youth Service Day activities on Twitter @YouthService and #GYSD.

guest blogger Carrie Lake
Early in my career I had plenty of time to spend on volunteer projects, but as my career advanced and my family grew, those volunteer activities had to take a back seat. As a mother of two young children and a full-time employee at a large strategy and technology consulting firm, I don’t have as much time to dedicate to volunteerism, but my desire to help my community has not waned.

Two years ago, I learned about the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Future Fund--a giving circle for professionals in their 20s, 30s and 40s--and decided it was a perfect match for my lifestyle.

When I first joined the Future Fund, it was in start-up mode, but that didn’t slow us down. In its first two years alone we raised more than $100,000 for local nonprofits. In 2012, we gave $54,000 to nonprofits focused on Child and Youth Development and this year we have already granted $58,000 to organizations focused on Poverty Relief.

And if pooling your money together with others to make a major impact on our local community is not enough fun for you, each spring the Future Fund membership throws a major party to celebrate the success we’ve had. This is my favorite night of the year---it’s a “gala” like none other in our area.

The Future Fund Annual Awards Gala attracts approximately 300 young locals who network while celebrating the great nonprofits in Northern Virginia. This year’s gala--an evening of great networking and dancing, that includes a silent auction—will be held at Artisphere in Rosslyn on May 3 from 8pm to midnight.

Being involved with the Future Fund gives me the flexibility I need as a working mom; I can be involved as little or as much as I want. In my first year of involvement, I only paid my membership dues yet still felt I was making a meaningful contribution to a great cause, without any guilt for missing committee meetings or volunteer activities. Now, I love working with my fellow Future Fund members so much, I serve on several committees and participate in our quarterly service projects.  And I can’t wait to party with them come May 3!

Future Fund Annual Awards Gala
Friday, May 3, 2013. 8:00pm to Midnight.
Artisphere 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA  22209
For more details on the Future Fund Gala and to buy tickets, visit the Community Foundation of Northern Virginia web site.
Check out photos from last year’s gala here.
To learn more about the Future Fund check out this 4-minute video.

Looking for FREE admission to one of the top 10 wine festivals in the country?
Virginia Wine Festival - Volunteer Signup September 15th - 16th, 2012  

General Volunteer Information

• All volunteers must fill out their own application.
• Volunteer shifts are 4 hours.
• The festival hours are 11am - 6pm both days.
• Volunteer shifts will be 10:00am - 2:00pm and 2:00pm - 6:00pm.
• Set-up/Clean-up shifts will be 8:00am - 10:00am and 6:00pm - 8:00pm.

Volunteer Qualifications

• Volunteers must be 21 years of age to participate.
• Identification will be checked and age will be verified when you come to Volunteer Check-in to get your credentials.
• Must have a positive, hard-working mentality.
• Must be on-time for every shift (if not a little early).

Visit www.virginiawinefest.com for more details. 

You know those plastic jars or metal cans sitting on the counter at 7-11 where you can place your spare change towards donations for charity? They are usually only partly full with a few pennies and dollar bills.

Well, I have a friend whose husband owns three 7-11 stores in Northern Virginia... and she asked me if I knew where she could buy papers to roll her pennies, etc from the donation jars to take the bank. WHAT? Roll them? Is she kidding?

I told her about the modern technology that we have in 2012 where machines do all the work for us... but she said that the CoinStar machine at the grocery store charges 10% - and since the money is going to charity, she wanted to make sure every penny was sent to them. Makes sense.

Then I remembered the machines are free @ Capital One if you have an account there - and lucky for her,  I am a customer. Not knowing what I was getting into, I offered to take the coins over for her.

She had a man load the small box of coins into my SUV and I drove off to the Fairfax Corner branch. I parked a few spots away and hopped out to grab the coins and go in... but I couldn't even budge the box that they were in! Do you know how much 15,362 coins weigh? I seriously broke my back dragging the box into the storefront where I finally got some help.

In the name of charity, I stood in front of the coin machine for almost TWO HOURS while it counted all 15,362 coins. I was interrupted once while they had to come and empty out the machine so that it could handle my large job.

In the end, there was $867.16 in coins. In addition, there was $98 in dollar bills - someone even threw in a Jackson! I never thought those jars were legit, or that the money would actually go to charity, but I was proved wrong!

Want to learn how you can positively impact the lives of your fellow community members? Opportunities are available across Northern Virginia and Washington, DC for volunteers to work with youth and adults of all ages. Stop by and see how you can get involved!

Monday, July 16th
6 - 8 p.m.
Central Library
1015 North Quincy Street, Arlington, VA 22203

Participating organizations:
AHC, Inc.; Alternative House; Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless; Community Lodgings; Community Residences; Edu-Futuro; Ethiopian Community Development Council, Inc.; Greenbrier Learning Center; Literacy Council of Northern Virginia; Opportunities, Alternatives and Resources of Fairfax County; and Wright to Read.

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