VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Nonprofits help fill the gap in our community. They are mission-driven organizations that help people who have nowhere else to turn.
However, without enough volunteers, the organizations and the people they help are at risk.
As the year nears close to an end, many nonprofits are brainstorming how they can get new volunteers.
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“It takes a village, and we're just one of many nonprofits,” says Ramona Chandler, the special projects director at AIDNOW.
AIDNOW is a Virginia Beach nonprofit that, in part, puts together fresh grocery bundles for military families, and aids in disaster relief.
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It also hosts Project Jump Start, which supports more than 600 kids who may be unhoused or needing a little extra help. This year they have once again partnered with the Virginia Beach City Public Schools' Social Work Services.
“[The kids] get two brand new outfits. They can get their hair cut. They get dental and vision screenings. They get books, backpacks [and so much more],” Chandler says.
Chandler says they need about 200 volunteers to put the event together.
“Sometimes we're short, but I mean, we make it happen,” she says.
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“Making it happen” despite needing a few extra hands is a sentiment that's felt across many of the 26,732 registered nonprofits in Virginia.
Ross Forster is the treasurer of the Greater Hampton Roads Regional Crime Line.
He also serves on the Virginia Beach and Portsmouth board. The fact that he's volunteering in three capacities speaks to the need for help.
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“When you look at the demographics [and] the age [of our members], we need to get younger. We need to get people involved to work for the future,” Forster says.
Crime Line raises money to pay out tipsters who report crime. Forster says in the past year, $20,000 in reward money was given to community members, though he believes more can be done with more diverse members.
“[They come with a] different point of view [and a] different perspective with the technology now. They have a different way of utilizing the technology that is available,” he says. “We need your help. We need your support.”
According to the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, in 2023, close to 80% of organizations said they saw an urgent need for growing leaders.
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Evelis Faison is the community volunteer manager at Samaritan House and says the nonprofit would not be able to operate without volunteers.
The shelter helps people flee domestic violence and find stable housing.
“We rely heavily on our volunteers to be able to propel the mission forward,” she says.
Volunteers oversee administrative tasks, help clean transport vehicles and secure food and clothing.
Faison says recently more college-age students have started donating their time.
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“That’s the beauty in volunteering. We need all ages, and we need, you know, all aspects of life, because it adds to the mission,” Faison says.
I thought it was important to highlight three nonprofits whose mission is completely different, but they are all experiencing the same thing.
It shows that if you are passionate about something, there is likely an organization with that mission.
If you are interested in learning the actionable ways nonprofits are trying to push forward and their economic impact, you can read the 2023 Virginia Nonprofit Sector Report.
