(Posted 2026 July)
Our BeFriend-A-Child and Body Safety Programs have many dedicated volunteers who spend many hours each month pouring their time and talents into the lives of young people in our community.
Imagine how excited we were to realize that two of our volunteers are husband and wife! Peter and Caroline Steinberg both began volunteering with us in 2025. Peter became a mentor with the BeFriend program in October, while Caroline signed up in June as a classroom facilitator with the Body Safety Education Program for the 2025-2026 school year. Since joining they have made an impact through contributing over 100 combined volunteer hours, while bringing warmth, compassion, and flexibility to their roles working with children.
As we sat down to get to know this couple better and to find out more about their volunteer journey, Peter and Caroline explained that volunteering with Volunteer and Partner Services aligns with their values, and it has provided each of them with some fulfillment as they transition into retirement. Caroline retired about three years ago from a position in health care policy research focusing on coverage and access as well as Medicare and Medicaid policy, while Peter is retiring this summer from his position as a program manager at Healthy Minds Fairfax with the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board.
The Steinbergs both have volunteer experience with other organizations that provide vital services to the community. Peter volunteers as a clinical supervisor with the Virginia Telehealth Mental Health Initiative which provides free mental health services to those who cannot afford therapy. While Caroline has been involved with various volunteer activities over the years including teaching financial skills to survivors of domestic violence through the Purple Purse Program as well as to middle school kids at Finance Park. She also volunteered with Planned Parenthood to help people with low incomes enroll in Medicaid after the Virginia Medicaid expansion.
Peter says it’s a coincidence that he and Caroline both volunteered with DFS, but their motivations were no coincidence – they each saw a need and felt they had the skills to fill it. Working for the county, Peter heard about the need for mentors and thought he could easily free up time to help. Caroline said that she wanted a new volunteer opportunity that would allow her to engage more directly with children.
Caroline explained, “I have always been passionate about the issues addressed in the [Body Safety] program. Children often don’t learn what they need to know to identify when a situation is dangerous. I was specifically drawn to the messaging of the program, particularly rules like it is never your fault and it is never too late to tell someone. I feel like I have learned a lot from the program about listening to children.”
Overall, the experience has been positive for each of them. Peter shared, “My mentee has become an honorary member of my family. Though my family has not met him in person, they often ask about him and how we spent our time together. I think Caroline recognizes how happy and exhausted I am after I have spent time with my mentee.”
Peter went on to explain that the best part of being a mentor is introducing his mentee to new experiences such as taking him horseback riding for first time in his life. And while that was amazing, “all that my mentee needs to be happy is an open field and a soccer ball.”
Caroline agreed, “I love to hear about Peter’s mentee’s shenanigans, and I love to see how spending time with him makes Peter happy.” For her the experience as a Body Safety facilitator is more rooted in the excitement that comes with leading a classroom. Caroline is “always working to improve my delivery of the material and better engage the kids. I did many presentations in my professional career, and it is great to keep those skills alive.”
Caroline went on to share an experience that drove home to her the importance of the Body Safety program. “I had one class where a third-grade child mentioned having someone ask to see his private body parts when he was in daycare. I asked him if he had told anyone, and he said no because he didn’t know that it was wrong until now.”
We are grateful to Peter and Caroline for their commitment to improving the lives of children and families in our community. Their careers and volunteerism are truly special, and they both credit their parents with stressing the importance of helping others in shaping their values.
As the couple transitions into retirement, they look forward to spending more time traveling, especially to national parks and around the world, as well as hiking, biking, and playing pickleball. Reading books and spending time with their cats are pretty high on the list as well as more volunteering!
In parting, Caroline and Peter offered some sage advice for others thinking about volunteering, “Just keep trying different things until you land on something that feels meaningful to you!”
This article posting is part of The Volunteer Post Newsletter for current and potential volunteers, sponsors and donors interested in supporting children and families in crisis. Learn more about Fairfax County Department of Family Services' Volunteer & Partner Services Program (VPS).