The Volunteer Connection
Summer 2022
Hey Friends!

It appears summer is here! As the school year begins to wrap up and graduations are underway we hope you take some time to relax and enjoy the beautiful summer weather. The summer tends to be HandsOn's slower programming months when we take the needed time to hang out with our families and plan for the remainder of the year. 
 
We are excited to announce this summer we will be welcoming a summer intern and our new VISTA member- both will start between June and August! They will both be working to increase our community engagement efforts in different ways. If you would like to learn how you can get more involved in the community this summer, please continue reading.


Yours in service,

The HandsOn NWNC Team
2022 Forsyth County Governor's Volunteer Service Award's Breakfast
As the world has changed over the past few years, we’ve all seen first-hand the work that volunteers have done to care for the most vulnerable of us and to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. Along with our longtime co-presenters Salem College, the Winston-Salem Journal, the United Way of Forsyth County, and this year’s Premier Sponsor, Truliant Federal Credit Union, we were so happy to honor the "best of the best" volunteers at the 2022 Forsyth County Governor's Volunteer Service Award breakfast for the first time since the pandemic started! While in a small space with limited capacity, our wonderful hosts at Salem College provided great hospitality.

Each volunteer was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the state of NC and were surprised with the President's Volunteer Service Award. The President's Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) was established in 2003 to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers makes in the community and to encourage more people to serve. Volunteers are awarded based on the number of hours of service over a 12-month time period – or cumulative hours over the course of a lifetime. All of our volunteers qualified for a PVSA and we even had 2 that received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, requiring 4,000 hours of volunteer service!
 
If you are interested in nominating a volunteer for next year’s Forsyth County Governor's Volunteer Service Award, be on the lookout when the form is released in January 2023.
The Winston-Salem Community Action Coalition is now accepting applications!
The Winston-Salem Community Action Coalition consists of 18 AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service To America (VISTA) members sponsored by the Office of Civic & Community Engagement at Wake Forest University. Focused on poverty alleviation, VISTA members work in the areas of educational equity, economic empowerment, and health and food justice. VISTAs are united by their passion to make a difference; together, they have vowed to complete a year of national service and create meaningful change in Winston-Salem and beyond.

The Winston-Salem Community Action Coalition is currently recruiting for full-time, full-year VISTA positions. There are many benefits to completing national service as a VISTA - such as the Segal Education award, a living allowance, Non-Competitive Eligibility, and Professional Development trainings. The listing is now live and they are accepting applications an August start date.

Please contact Shelley Sizemore for any questions associated with the Winston-Salem Community Action Coalition or explore these Frequently Asked Questions.

Featured Volunteer Opportunities

Did you know that every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood? Red Cross is seeking Blood Transportation Volunteers to make sure blood is available for patients in need in North Carolina. Blood Transportation Volunteers use Red Cross vehicles to deliver lifesaving blood from the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center (690 Coliseum Dr. NW, Winston-Salem) to area hospitals. 

This is a flexible opportunity where volunteers can create their own schedule and most volunteers drive at least twice a month (routes are 3 or 6 hours). Volunteers must have a valid drivers license, 3+ years driving experience with a clean record, and must be able to lift up to 45 lbs. If interested, contact Kasey Marshall or 336-646-4047.


Do you like theater or role-playing or are you passionate about spreading awareness about poverty? If you answered yes, then this volunteer opportunity is the perfect fit for you! 

Crisis Control needs your help facilitating poverty simulations throughout Forsyth County. In every simulation, 22 volunteers act as various life vendors or resources. You could be the banker, employer, social services caseworker, grocer, utility company, etc. in a simulation that evokes what it is like to live in poverty. Each volunteer role has its own training instructions that you'll be provided with. 

They are looking for volunteer mentors to coach their youth sports teams this summer! Sports include basketball and t-ball at locations in Clemmons, Winston-Salem, Kernersville, King and Statesville. Just two hours per week can make a lifetime impact on our youth!
For more local volunteer opportunities visit GetConnected
Upcoming Events from our
Supporting Partners
Spring Things!
An Exceptional Night at the Museum

Friday, May 27, 5-8 pm

Exceptional Night at the Museum is a series of exclusive events during which children and adults with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities — along with their families and caregivers — can enjoy the wonders of Kaleideum. Exceptional Night events offer inclusive and adaptive programming in a less crowded museum environment. Their inaugural Exceptional Night event — Spring Things! — will celebrate all things spring. Guests can dig into spring-themed sensory bins, create flower and bee crafts, learn to code with Bee Bots, experience an animal encounter with stick bugs, and roll and stroll through our environmental park — until the sun sets, of course.

Members of Kaleideum, free; non-members $5; $3 Museums for All pricing is available at the Welcome Desk the evening of the event. 

Stay Connected!
Be sure to visit GetConnected and our Facebook page every Monday for fresh and local volunteer opportunities!
HandsOnNWNC.org
| phone: 336.724.2866 | fax: 336.724.4467 |