November 2023

We are thrilled to announce that YVCHR was recognized as the

Affiliate of the Year at last month's YVC Summit in Tulsa, Oklahoma! It was such an honor to take the stage to accept this award on behalf of all the incredible youth volunteers, staff members, team leaders, club sponsors, board members, community partners and families who are invested in our mission. We are beyond grateful to be part of this inspring network of affiliates that spans the United States, Canada and Uganda!

Volunteer of the Month

Alex is an 8th-grade student who started volunteering after seeing his sister participate in YVC projects. He was eager to become a youth volunteer because he enjoys serving others and seeing his community thrive. His favorite project so far has been the Mayflower Marathon Food Drive, which is hosted annually by the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank just before Thanksgiving. It makes him proud to see so many people helping their neighbors. Most recently, we recognized Alex's fantastic ability to engage with guests at the BugFest event in Yorktown. His enthusiasm made the experience memorable for the many families who visited his exhibit.

Alex believes volunteering promotes goodwill toward others and helps youth develop strong social skills. He is a proponent for getting teens involved as volunteers in any way they can. (We couldn't agree more!)

Fun facts: Alex writes about college football for a website dedicated to Virginia Tech fans! He enjoys playing sports and spending time with friends. He is also a Student Ambassador at his school, helping new students enjoy a smooth transition.

Meet Marlena, an exceptional student whose commitment to service and passion for creating positive change make her a standout among her peers. Marlena joined her school's Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC) club and is a near-peer mentor in our Service Through STEM program. She enjoys working with the 5th-grade students at B.C. Charles Elementary and made immediate connections during our first excursion last month. She is attuned to their different learning styles and modeled patience, positivity and problem-solving skills throughout the STEM challenge.

Marlena recently joined YVCHR on a field trip to HRSD's SWIFT Research Center, where high school students toured the facility and were exposed to a variety STEM-related careers. While a natural STEM enthusiast, she also has plans to launch a nonprofit called "More Than One Chance," dedicated to helping children who are aging out of foster care. Marlena's vision is to equip them with life skills and stability so they can land on their feet as young adults.

Support YVCHR by shopping for that special someone on your list!

Kendra Scott will be donating 20% of all sales at their Short Pump Mall location to YVCHR on December 1st from 5-7pm! Can't be there in person? No problem! Use the code GIVEBACK-FFJFP when you shop online between 12:01am on December 1 and 11:59PM on December 2.

Mark Your Calendars!

Ready to register for a service project? Follow the steps below. If you do NOT receive a confirmation email after registering, please contact programdirector@yvchr.org.

Step 1. Visit https://ydat.org/site/HamptonRoads

Step 2. Log in with your existing credentials -OR- create a new account.

Step 3. Access your YDAT account and explore list of service projects.

Step 4. Register for a project by clicking the word "REGISTER" next to your project(s) of choice. Then scroll to the bottom and click the other "REGISTER" button. You can register for multiple projects at once.

Step 5. You'll be directed to a confirmation screen with project details. Be sure to read all project information carefully. You will also receive a confirmation message to the email address associated with your YDAT account.

**NOTE: If you do NOT receive an email confirmation, then you have not officially registered for the project. Be sure you have clicked both "REGISTER" buttons to ensure you're added to the project roster.**

(We are currently working with the programmer to make this step less confusing. In the meantime, think of the "REGISTER" button that's next to the project you're signing up for as "ADD TO CART;" the other "REGISTER" button at the bottom of the project listing is like clicking "CHECKOUT.")

Click here for detailed instructions to guide you through the registration process!

Upcoming Service Projects

Click the project links below or visit our Project Calendar for more information about each service opportunity. Some projects have special requirements or considerations, so please read carefully.
Be sure you can commit and have transportation to the project(s) for which you are registered.
Ensure you receive timely informational emails by adding programdirector@yvchr.org to your contact safelist. To avoid having our emails go to junk/spam, click here for Safelist directions!

You can see our youth volunteers in action by following us

on Facebook and Instagram!