May 2025

Volunteer of the Month

Congratulations to Lexi, our Volunteer of the Month! She joined YVCHR in July of 2019 and has contributed over 370 hours of service through various evening and weekend projects, as well as her school's YVC club, summer camps, YVC Summit and participation on the Youth Advisory Board (YAB). When asked about her favorite YVC experience, she said, "The Big Toy Giveaway [pictured] is easily one of my favorite YVC projects. I’ve done it for four years straight, and seeing the kids' faces light up with happiness makes every moment so worth it!" What has Lexi gained as a youth volunteer? In her words, "YVC has helped me grow so much, not just as a leader, but as a more compassionate person. The best part about YVC is seeing firsthand how my volunteering makes a difference." Lexi was inspired to volunteer by her sister, who graduated in 2023. "Like any younger sibling, you look up to your older sibling, and I’m grateful mine loves volunteering and was eager to share that love with me through YVC."

18,000+ POUNDS OF FOOD COLLECTED BY 20 TEAMS!

Smithfield Foods has generously offered to match the total food collected through this year's Canstructure Competition with a protein donation! This means more of our neighbors will enjoy a complete meal as a result of this year's event!

The best part? Smithfield exceeded the matching total and donating additional protein... bringing this year's GRAND TOTAL to nearly 40,000 pounds of food!

Thank you, Smithfield Foods!

Good news! We have added spots to camp sessions that were previously full. See below for openings and register today to secure your dates of choice.

Join the international network of YVC alumni and connect with other professionals and community leaders while representing Hampton Roads!

Announcing YVCHR's 1st-Annual PicklebALLSTARS Tournament



Mark your calendars and register today!

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.
• Log in to your YDAT account to sign up for project(s)! Volunteer spots go fast, so be sure to reserve yours ASAP.
• 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!

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 "ADD" next to your project(s) of choice. Then scroll to the bottom and click the other "NEXT" button. You can register for multiple projects at once.

Step 5. You'll be directed to a screen with details for the project(s) you selected. Be sure to read all project information carefully and then click "SIGN UP." A confirmation message will appear, and you'll also receive an email confirming your registration to the email address associated with your YDAT account.

NOTE: As we prepare to launch our summer camps, there will be fewer episodic projects on the calendar. The months of June, July and August are largely devoted to YVCHR's Summer of Service program. Thank you for your understanding!

Clean the Bay Day Clean-up Family Event

(Virginia Beach)

Saturday, June 7th

10:00am-12:00am

Habitat for Humanity Home Repair Blitz

(Newport News)

Saturday, May 17th

8:00am-1:00pm

*Must be 16 years old.*

Soundscapes

(Newport News)

Thursday, May 22nd

10:00am-12:00pm

Diaper Bank Wrapping Party

(Chesapeake)

Saturday, May 31st

1:00pm - 3:30pm

Youth Leadership Conference: REGISTRATION OPEN!

Click image below for more information.

We need your plastic!

YVCHR is collecting plastic bags, bubble wrap and other plastic packaging material to meet our goal of 1,000 pounds by June 2025. You can drop off your bundles of plastic to our office and/or create your own drop-off site by picking up a recycling container from YVCHR.

Be sure all donations are clean, dry and free of residue. Please refer to the adjacent graphic for a list of acceptable plastic.

For more details, contact programdirector@yvchr.org!