AHC Spotlights 5 & amp 10 Year Volunteers

April is National Volunteer Month. AHC volunteers give thousands of hours of their time every year to support residents through food distribution, mentorship, tutoring, and more. We thank them for joining us in keeping residents at the heart of all we do. Help us celebrate our volunteers this month!

Individual Volunteers

We asked our 5- and 10-year volunteers about their favorite part of volunteering with AHC. Read their responses below and join us in recognizing them for generously giving their time to support our residents.

Three young girls are hugging each other and smiling in a classroom, with an adult woman standing behind them, also smiling. The setting appears warm and cheerful.

“I love the kids! While it can be challenging at times with a group of children ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade, I derive so much joy from working with them and helping them learn. It’s lots of fun and very rewarding.”
Laurie, 5-Year Volunteer

An older woman with short gray hair and glasses sits at a table sorting papers, cards, and envelopes labeled with words like Furniture. People are visible in the background in a brightly lit room.

“My favorite part of volunteering with AHC is the students’ energy and their pride when they master difficult tasks. I love AHC’s support and holiday celebrations.”
Liz, 5-Year Volunteer

Two women wearing gloves serve food from large trays at a buffet table. One woman smiles at the camera while holding a serving utensil; the other looks off to the side. They appear to be in a casual indoor setting.

“The kids are amazing and so is the staff. The kids always greet me with hellos and hugs, and I’ve gotten to meet some of their parents. The kids are energetic and always curious.”
Coral, 5-Year Volunteer

A smiling woman with glasses and shoulder-length hair stands indoors, wearing a blue CNU shirt and hoodie. She is holding papers and standing next to a computer monitor in an office or classroom setting.

“It is awesome when a student is able to understand something they had been confused about. Sometimes it’s because I’ve explained something to them, and sometimes they figure it out while talking through the problem with me.”
Marna, 5-Year Volunteer

“My favorite part of volunteering is how easy it is to be a volunteer. The staff are so supportive.”
John, 5-Year Volunteer

“I enjoy getting to know the students and seeing them grow over the years. Plus, they have a ton of energy, which is both fun and a little difficult when you are trying to get them to focus.”
Bruce, 10-Year Volunteer

Two people stand side by side indoors, smiling at the camera. One wears glasses and a black jacket, the other wears a brown hoodie with a flower pin. Green leafy plants are in the background.

“I enjoy interacting with the students the most. They’re fun kids. I like building relationships with them. I like listening to how their perspective on school, certain topics, and life changes over time.”
Mimi, 5-Year Volunteer

A young woman and a girl sit together at a table, smiling and reading a book. The woman wears a dark Saints Lacrosse sweatshirt, and the girl has braided hair and a white t-shirt.

“My favorite part of volunteering with AHC is being able to interact with the kids. I enjoy helping them with struggles but also getting to have fun playing games.”
Riley, 5-Year Volunteer

A woman with long dark hair pulled back, wearing a dark polka dot blouse, stands smiling in front of a softly blurred outdoor background.

“I enjoy seeing the students grow over time. The teenage years are such a formative part of their identity. It’s such a gift to work with them and see their self-awareness and maturity develop year to year.”
Elizabeth, 10-Year Volunteer

A woman and a man stand close together outdoors, both smiling at the camera. The woman has long dark hair and wears a patterned scarf, while the man has curly hair, glasses, and a checkered shirt. Green trees are in the background.

“My favorite moment is the follow-up when these wonderful young adults are in college, we connect again, and I get to see how they are thriving. I think it is only in these years after graduating from high school that many of the students realize how incredibly fortunate they were to have a program like the College and Career Readiness program, and what a rare gift it is.”
Ami, 5-Year Volunteer

A young woman with curly brown hair smiles at the camera. She is wearing a pearl necklace and a dark top, with a blue background behind her.

“My favorite part about volunteering with AHC has been getting to see the kids’ progression throughout the years. When I first started, the students that were in kindergarten and 1st grade couldn’t even read, but now, being able to see the impact of my work and their confidence now makes me so happy.”
Mckenna, 5-Year Volunteer

Volunteer Groups

Many groups volunteer with us, and their support makes a huge difference in the lives of AHC residents. Read below about the work our 5- and 10-year volunteer groups do in our communities.

Amazon

Amazonians have been volunteering in groups and individually with AHC for more than five years. They’ve supported our community-building holiday events with residents, career exploration opportunities with our teens, snack bag assembly for our education programs, and back-to-school shopping for our young residents.

A diverse group of people poses and smiles for a photo in front of a large AWS sign and illustrated backdrop in an office setting.

The affinity group Asians at Amazon has supported the Thanksgiving feast and toy giveaway at Gates of Ballston, an AHC community in Arlington, for the last five years. Another affinity group, Latinos at Amazon, hosted our College & Career Readiness program students at Amazon’s new headquarters for a career-focused event last year and organized virtual career events in previous summers.

A student wearing a Panther Pride shirt points at papers on a table, holding a folder and more papers. Other students gather in groups in the background inside a bright room with large windows.

The Potomac School

The Potomac School has supported AHC’s programs for more than five years. Students from the school volunteer by making literacy kits and STEM kits for kids in our education programs.

The school also donates books and Lego robotics supplies. Students from The Potomac School have led robotics classes for our young residents. The students also volunteer as reading buddies and pen pals for AHC’s young residents.

Arlington Rotary Club

The Arlington Rotary Club has participated in every DIY (do-it-yourself) project AHC has, like donating graduation gift bags for high school seniors finishing AHC’s College & Career Readiness program, holiday gift bags for the teens in AHC’s education programs, and summer fun kits for the elementary school students attending AHC Summer Camp.

A group of nine adults stand indoors, smiling and holding colorful, handmade fleece blankets with dog and star patterns. They appear to be participating in a community or volunteer event.

The club also organized a huge project with hundreds of volunteers to make fleece blankets for AHC students as part of Arlington’s MLK Day of Service.

An adult and a child stand outside on a brick path, examining a row of upright Christmas trees for sale. Cars and buildings are visible in the background.

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church has supported AHC communities for more than 10 years. The church donates Christmas trees to residents at one of our Arlington communities and collects toys for all of the students in our Arlington Afterschool programs each year.

Full Circle Montessori School

Full Circle Montessori School has volunteered with AHC for more than ten years. Students from the school help at food distributions weekly with our partner Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC).

A young boy in a black hoodie holds a wrapped gift box and stands in front of a decorated Christmas tree with blue and white lights inside a cozy living room.

The school also does an Adopt-a-Family program to support AHC’s families during the holidays. Many school staff members have served as tutors for students in our Teen program.

Explore AHC’s volunteer opportunities.