Volunteers of America issues Anniversary Challenge

Volunteers of America Celebrates Its 110th Anniversary by Remembering Some of Its Extraordinary Volunteers and by Encouraging All Americans to Volunteer

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 8, Volunteers of America, one of the largest non-profit providers of social services in the country, marks a milestone. The organization will celebrate 110 years of service. In honor of its anniversary, the organization is challenging every American to volunteer 110 hours each year to help the neediest people in their communities.

"Whether people volunteer with us or at their school, church, hospital, or civic organization, they will find that the rewards of helping less fortunate people are greater than they can imagine," said Volunteers of America National President Charles Gould.

Volunteers of America works with approximately 95,000 volunteers each year to assist with its programs. This year has been especially challenging and rewarding for volunteers who helped assist victims of Hurricane Katrina.

"It changed my life," said Debbie Diroff. "I would do it again in a second."

Diroff was a retired employee from Florida Power in Tampa when she drove to her sister's house in Mobile, Ala. shortly after Hurricane Katrina hit to see if she could help.

She ended up spending 31 days working as the coordinator to Volunteers of America's temporary medical clinic in Gulfport, Miss. Diroff scheduled doctors and patients and gathered medical supplies for the clinics which were nothing more than construction trailers that acted as medial offices and surgical bays during the day and housing for doctors at night.

"The experience taught me how lucky I am to have what I have," said Diroff. "It was so rewarding to be able to help people who have nothing."

It may be a once in a lifetime opportunity to help during a national crisis, but it is the volunteers who help with programs all year round who provide critical support to the organization.

Cathy Law of Denver, Colo. was sitting in church looking at the bulletin 17 years ago when she saw that help was needed for a Volunteers of America Meals on Wheels program. She began to deliver meals to seniors twice a week. After her first child came along, she took him with her and she even got her mother, Babs, working a delivery route. Today three generations of the family, including children Cody (16), Caleb (13), Callie (11), and Conner (11), deliver meals to seniors.

"This has been an amazing experience. It has given my family the gift of knowledge," said Law. "I am so thankful that my children have gotten to know so many amazing people over the years."

Clients on Law's seniors' meals route have included a former professional baseball player, a prominent architect, and a concert pianist.

"Not all the clients are in a good mood and want to chat every time I deliver food. They have good days and bad days and that's life," said Law. "But I am so happy this program exists so that people are able to stay in their homes."

Last year, Volunteers of America helped nearly 2 million people to improve their lives through programs which provide affordable and emergency housing, assisted living, help for at-risk kids and substance abusers, education programs, and counseling. The organization has a staff of 15,000 located in 38 affiliates across the country.

"We are very lucky to do the work we do," said Gould. "The lives of our staff members and volunteers are constantly enriched by helping others, and we look forward to our next 110 years of service."

Log on to the Volunteers of America web site http://www.volunteersofamerica.org/ to find out how to help or to find out more about the rewards of volunteering.

Volunteers of America is a national, nonprofit, spiritually based organization providing local human service programs and opportunities for individual and community involvement. Volunteers of America served more nearly 2 million people last year. For more than 100 years, Volunteers of America has provided help for at-risk youth, abused and neglected children, homeless individuals and families, seniors and the elderly, and people with disabilities.

Source: Volunteers of America