Within the Department of Family Services (DFS) are many volunteer opportunities, including the following. Opportunities within the Area Agency on Aging appear below.
- BeFriend-A-Child – Volunteers provide companionship and friendship to children between the ages of 5 and 12 who have been (or are at risk of being) abused or neglected or have other significant needs. Mentors must be willing to commit for one year to the program and spend at least eight hours a month with the child on a regular basis.
- BeFriend-A-Parent – Volunteers befriend a Family Services client to listen, learn and work together on parenting and personal needs and skills, and to build a trusting mentor relationship. Volunteers must be willing to commit to at least six months to the program and spend 4 - 6 hours a month with the parent.
- Family Resource Centers – Volunteers perform a variety of duties that serve families and children in neighborhood centers. Examples of volunteer positions include program assistants, tutors, small group facilitators and child care providers. One-time and ongoing volunteer opportunities may exist.
- Nurturing Parenting Program® – Volunteers serve as facilitators in this child abuse prevention parent-child program. The program offers caring, comprehensive classes to parents and their children to help them learn new ways to work together as a family. Volunteers are assigned to work with parents or children and commit to facilitate at least one series of classes.
Community Partners
- CASA – Volunteers help represent children in court who have been abused or neglected. They work closely with social workers, attorneys, treatment providers, and others involved in helping the child.
- Volunteer Emergency Families for Children (VEFC) – This program works with volunteer families willing to provide short-term emergency and respite care and provide a temporary home and shelter for children in crisis.
Contact:
Child Abuse Prevention
Programs
Department of Family Services
12011 Government Center Parkway
Fairfax, VA 22035-1102
703-324-7871; TTY 703-222-9452
- Fairfax Families4Kids - Help a child find a family. Fairfax Families4Kids volunteers help with recruiting, community presentations, publicity, weekend activities, transportation and more. Fairfax Families4Kids gives children ages 9 to 18, living in foster care, the opportunity to visit a host family who partners with the child to find the child a permanent family. Fairfax Families4Kids works to engage the community to support the children by creating partnerships with civic, social, fraternal and faith organizations. To find out more, call 703-324-7656; TTY 703-222-9452
- Foster Care Program - Foster parents are needed to provide support and care for children in foster care. Support, training and a monthly stipend for the child's expenses are provided. To find out more, call 703-324-7639 TTY 703-222-9452.
Area Agency on Aging
Volunteer Opportunities
The DFS Area Agency on Aging (AAA) provides services primarily to persons 60 and over. Volunteer opportunities within AAA include:
-
Guardians/Conservators – volunteers serve as court-appointed
guardians/conservators dealing with personal and/or financial
decisions for at-risk clients in the DFS Adult and Aging
Program.
-
Long-Term Care Ombudsman – volunteers serve as advocates for
the rights of residents in long-term care facilities in the five
Northern Virginia jurisdictions.
-
Meals on Wheels – volunteers transport meals to homebound
elderly persons Monday through Friday throughout the area. Limited
weekend service is also available. All meals are picked up at 11:00
a.m., except at the Hermitage in Northern Virginia, where meals are
picked up at 2:00 p.m. These efforts are coordinated by
community-based groups driving over 34 routes. Other needs include
schedulers, group coordinators and treasurers.
-
Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance (VICAP) – trained
volunteers assist clients who are in need of help in filing medical
and insurance claim forms and provide counseling when they need help
understanding information about Medicare or long-term care
insurance.
-
Nutritional Supplement Program – volunteers pick up
nutritional supplement product once a month at a predetermined site
for a designated client and deliver supplement to client's home
within 2-3 days of pick-up. Six-month minimum commitment (2-3 hours
per month).
-
Pets on Wheels – involves trained volunteers and their pets
visiting residents of area nursing homes to provide companionship and
affection. Contact may be weekly or monthly.
-
Friendship, Senior – volunteers serve in a one-to-one match
with homebound isolated senior adults. Contact is weekly and
ideally is within the same community. A one-year commitment is
required.
-
Telephone Reassurance – volunteers make a weekly social
telephone call to elderly persons who live alone. The service is
available on a short-term or long-term basis.
-
Volunteer Home Services for Seniors – volunteers provide a
variety of services which may include grocery shopping, light
housekeeping, minor home maintenance, transportation (to medical
appointments or for groceries or errands), yard work, and various
other needed services. Volunteers may commit to short-term projects
or be "on call."
For more information contact:
Fairfax County Department of Family Services
Area Agency on Aging
12011 Government Center Parkway - Suite 708, Fairfax, VA
22035-1104
TTY
703-449-1186 703-324-5406
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/service/aaa/Vol_Opps.htm
This document is available in an alternative
format upon request. Please call 703-324-5870.
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