NEW Opportunity - Fall 2023

We are ALL-IN for Chesterfield Students. Through your support, Communities In Schools partner with critical Chesterfield schools to forever change the lives of students who need it the most. Opportunities include donating needed items that are distributed to students and volunteering.

• Needed Items List

• Specific Needs for Falling Creek ES Staff Support & Appreciation

• Volunteering Info

Local School Partnership

We partner with Swift Creek Elementary, our friends right down the street in Brandermill, to provide volunteers in the classroom, library, and cafeteria to help support the efforts of the staff and to encourage the children to reach for the stars. You can volunteer once a week, once a month or once a quarter. Click here to sign up to make a difference in a child's life.

New Life Construction

Each month a group of New Life friends, in partnership with Center For Aging, go out to do light construction, yard work, or debris removal from the homes of seniors in our community.

UMFS (United Methodist Family Services)

For 115 years United Methodist Family Services has been serving our community. UMFS continues serving children, families, and communities throughout Virginia, providing residential treatment and specialized education, as well as foster care, adoption, and community-based services. New Life is a Treatment Foster Care (TFC) champion. We help TFC parents with treats, support, and fill needs as they arise.

Help spread the word about the need for foster parents by following the new Foster at UMFS social media accounts

Did you know that there are over 5,000 children and teens in foster care in the state of Virginia? UMFS has approved 54% fewer foster parents this year than last year. The need for foster parents in our community is great. You can help spread the word about the need for foster parents by following our new Foster at UMFS social media accounts. Even if you don’t have the capacity to become a foster parent right now, we're sharing educational resources that are applicable to everyone looking to play a part in enhancing the lives of children and teens in foster care. It starts with YOU. You have influence and your likes and shares can make a difference. The likelihood of potential foster parents finding UMFS increases every time you share our content. You never know - someone in your network might be ready to take the next step!

Culinary Support Volunteers 

Volunteer at least once a week with our Culinary Team during dinner hours for at least 3 months. The primary purpose of the Culinary Support Volunteer is simply to ensure dinner runs smoothly by helping set up, serve the meal, and clean up. During the service time, volunteers are encouraged to interact with the youth and if possible, partake in the meal. The interaction with youth includes developing a positive rapport, serving as a role model, and helping our youth to develop healthy and more mature social skills. Volunteer Service should take place on one evening M-Su from 5:15-7:15pm on our Richmond campus. 

Please complete this survey link if you are interested in pursuing the Culinary Support Volunteer role and we will be in touch soon with next steps.

Background checks are required of all Culinary Support Volunteers.  All volunteers are required to wear masks while indoors, we are waiting on updated guidance regarding COVID-19 vaccination requirements. 

Thank you for taking the time to consider this role and please let me know if you have any questions!

CARITAS

For almost 40 years, CARITAS has been helping our most vulnerable neighbors break the cycles of homelessness and addiction to reclaim their dignity. They do this by providing effective, permanent solutions to individuals and families dealing with these issues in the Metro Richmond area. New Life is heavily involved with this program from cooking meals every month on the 3rd Friday, working at the shelter, donating furniture, and more. Click here to find other ways to help CARITAS

Opportunity Every Other Month - Cooking For CARITAS: Individuals or groups sign up to provide a preselected dinner for 100 people. Dinner will consist of a pre-selected entrée (recipe provided), pre-selected sides, and a pre-selected dessert. Prepare everything ahead of time and drop it off at church on specific dates.

Furniture Bank Shoppers - Our Furniture Bank serves approximately 25 families per week by providing the essentials they need to start over in their new households. Tables, dressers, mattresses and more, all donated by the community, are provided to those most in need. What CARITAS needs is YOU! We are looking for shopping volunteers that are available Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Volunteer shoppers walk our clients through the showroom floor, ensuring that they have a great experience while they shop. All you need to bring is the ability to record accurate information quickly, a warm attitude, and a desire to create a welcoming environment. If you interested, please contact Volunteer Engagement Manager Christopher Lee at clee@caritasva.org Learn more about our Furniture Bank at www.caritasva.org/programs/furniture-bank/

CARITAS Works - Are you familiar with our workforce development program, CARITAS Works? Works prepares men and women to re-enter the workforce with the skills and support they need to be successful. If you are an active or retired workplace professional who wants to lend your expertise to serve those moving through crisis toward stability, you are who we need! Works volunteers do everything from class facilitation to mock interviews to resume building and more. Our Works classes will be getting larger soon, and our students can use your help. There’s never been a better time to give a hand up to a professional-in-training. If you interested, please contact Volunteer Engagement Manager Christopher Lee at clee@caritasva.org Learn more about CARITAS Works here: www.caritasva.org/programs/works/

Donations: Business Clothing - Did you know that the first day of each CARITAS Works class is called “Suit-Up Day”? On Suit-Up Day the new class participants receive the professional attire that they will wear throughout the duration of their workforce development training. Do you have a closet full of business clothing you’re not using; such as jackets, dresses, shoes, belts, socks; etc? The Works program might be able to use it! Contact Marilyn Milio, Director of Workforce Programs and Training at mmilio@caritasva.org if you're interested in donating.

Shalom Farms

This 12 acre Shalom Farms is just a few miles from New Life and does incredible work to help bring fresh fruits and vegetables to those that lack healthy food.