Volunteer Alexandria

Breaks with Impact (BWI) – Doing Good in the Neighborhood is a service-learning program in which students learn more about issues facing their community and ways they can improve Alexandria, both today and in the future. Volunteer Alexandria created this new program in 2018 with the goal of providing students in public and private schools in Alexandria the opportunity to serve and gain knowledge about our community. The program supports one of the five goals in the City of Alexandria’s Children and Youth Master Plan: “Every child be socially connected, emotionally secure, and culturally competent.” The City’s Department of Community and Human Services and the Alexandria City Public Schools identified two objectives to reach this goal: increase community and civic engagement by youth and families, and increase access to, and participation in, quality out-of-school time programs. Volunteer Alexandria addresses this need through the BWI program by offering community service opportunities for middle and high school youth (ages 11-18) during school breaks. There will be two one-day sessions during spring break and two three-day sessions during summer break with about 70 Alexandria youth total participating in the program. Session days will start at about 8:00 a.m. and end at about 6:00 p.m. They will consist of several hands-on service projects, discussions about economic and social issues facing Alexandria, the role of nonprofits in addressing these issues, discussions with nonprofit clients or staff, journaling, reflection and evaluation of their day. Middle and high school youth will participate in separate groups with educational goals adjusted to meet their developmental needs.

ALTERNATIVE COMMUNITY SERVICE (ACS)—The ACS program works closely with the Alexandria Court System to support court-referred volunteers. This program brings people into the volunteer network who are not likely to volunteer in another context and encourages them to continue volunteering after their mandatory service completed.

We offer a variety of community events that bring together residents, nonprofits, City agencies, and business partners. Our largest event is Spring for Alexandria, a multi-piece event that includes the Business Philanthropy Summit, a Community Service Day, and a Community Celebration. In addition to Spring for Alexandria, we also sponsor the Evening in the Heart of Alexandria, which honors the contributions of local volunteers, and the Old Town Arts & Crafts Festival and Volunteer Fair, a free event with music, food, local artisans, and lots of community spirit!

Business Conenctions is an answer to corporate social responsibility (CSR), which describes how a company gives back to or improves the community. Our program offers you the opportunity to give back locally while strengthening your business. Through this process of do-good work, companies not only help their community – they also reap a few benefits including:

Engaged employees: The way an organization treats the community suggests good things to its employees about how it perceives and respects them. Employees that feel respected by their employer feel more comfortable bringing their most authentic self to work which, studies show, leads to increased engagement.

Loyal customers: Consumers think consciously about the products and services they buy. In a Nielson survey, 66 percent of participants said they pay more for products and services from socially responsible companies.

Positive public attention: Active CSR positions your organization as a leader in the community, and a positive role model for others to follow suit. Besides, when companies stand out for the good work they’re doing in the community, the media gains interest. In addition, there are plenty of awards up for grabs for companies who promote good in the community

Business Connections is a fee-for-service program that offers customized employee engagement opportunities at sites throughout Alexandria and sometimes outside the City. Our comprehensive project management ensures a high impact day of service that meets your employees’ expectations and furthers your philanthropic goals. We serve as your wedding planner for your wedding and take care of all logistics. You just need to show up.

Seniors are a vibrant part of Alexandria. There are many ways for residents 55+ to be involved in the community—and many ways to assist people 55+. Become a RSVP volunteer, attend a monthly Speaker Series event, or be a volunteer in your community.

RSVP: Your Invitation to Serve - Make an Impact Close to Home
RSVP-Northern Virginia is a local partnership sponsored by Volunteer Alexandria, Volunteer Fairfax, and Volunteer Arlington. It is a regional volunteer program providing individualized support to connect adults 55+ with service opportunities that impact local needs and result in healthy and vibrant communities. Simply attend a one-time, one-hour RSVP Orientation, complete our online Volunteer Information Form, and RSVP will match you with an activity that is right for you. Individuals choose how, where, and how often they want to serve, with commitments ranging from a few hours a couple of times a year to 40 hours per week.

RSVP is America’s largest volunteer network for people age 55 and older and is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

Volunteer Alexandria is the lead agency that educates and prepares Alexandria's residents, schools, organizations and businesses for all hazards such as natural disasters and terrorist attacks. In partnership with the City of Alexandria's Office of Emergency Management, we raise awareness, recruit, train and manage volunteers to be prepared and respond during these events. In the event of an emergency, we run a Volunteer Reception Center, which provides a central location where volunteers can go to assist with disaster recovery.

In Alexandria, there have been terrorist's attacks, tornados, flash floods, earthquakes and even water main breaks and power outages that have impacted our community for days at a time. Be proactive and make your own emergency preparedness plan. Does everyone in the household know what to do? Where to go? Do you have pets?

BE PREPARED! We emphasize individual, family and pets preparation for disasters and emergencies – from flooding to an active shooter situation. Residents should be familiar with critical local information such as community alerts and warning systems, shelter locations, have a kit and make a plan.