DONATE 125 Faces of VOA For 125 years, Volunteers of America has worked on the frontlines of service to help countless people in need. During 2021, for our milestone anniversary, we will share the faces and stories of the varied people who have benefited from this work, as well as the many VOA workers who have dedicated themselves to service to others. Tynikki “It was not that long ago that I was barely 105 pounds, using drugs, and pregnant.” READ TYNIKKI'S STORY Ricky “Each day, I try to provide some encouraging words to the staff. I let them know that I’m always available to help them in any way.” READ RICKY'S STORY Jose “You can make your future happen.” READ JOSE'S STORY Finn “The bottom fell out when the pandemic hit ... I was on the verge of homelessness for the second time in my life.” READ FINN'S STORY Chris “My mom got WIC when we were kids. I’ve had just buttered noodles for dinner or chili all week. I understand.” READ CHRIS'S STORY Patrick “One of the staff members recently said, ‘It’s tenants like Patrick, that makes serving others a treasure.’” READ PATRICK'S STORY Al “I have always been taught that God has a ram in the bush. Moving to Eagle’s Landing under VOA Southeast has taught me that he has a whole herd of rams.” READ AL'S STORY Crystal “I am extremely worried about the long-term effects the pandemic will have on healthcare professionals, including myself. I fear that there may be a shortage of professionals in the next 3-5 years because of burnout.” READ CRYSTAL'S STORY Renee “Then, when he became abusive to our oldest son, I knew that I was not going to subject my children to what I had experienced as a teenager from my stepfather. I chose to leave.” READ RENEE'S STORY Susan “In October, 2017, I lost my three sons—Erik, 16; Devon, 12; and Ezekiel, 7 to a senseless act of violence.” READ SUSAN'S STORY Didi “When I finally told some of my friends that I lived in a shelter, they couldn’t believe it. I thought they’d see me as an outcast but they didn’t.” READ DIDI'S STORY Zella “If you go back on your side of town, you will die.” READ ZELLA'S STORY Katrina “I knew that I had to get out of my living situation, but the fear of homelessness worried me more than living in the abuse.” READ KATRINA'S STORY Christa “Throughout the pandemic, as parts of our programs had to close down and we had to shift, the greatest thing is the way we have all worked together.” READ CHRISTA'S STORY Heaven “When I was just two years old, I started learning braille so that I could help my dad. When he realized my interest in learning, he poured every dollar and every ounce of his energy into ensuring that I would get a fair chance at success.” READ HEAVEN'S STORY Robert “My life fell apart to the point where I became homeless, and even lost contact with my daughter, which will always be the biggest regret of my life.” READ ROBERT'S STORY Kumaria “We make a difference in the lives of the people we serve but they make a difference in our lives as well.” READ KUMARIA'S STORY Chaly “I realized through all of this that for families, incarceration is just as bad for the children as it is for the parent.” READ CHALY'S STORY Pam “I’m exhausted at the end of most days ... I worry that we will lose some nurses because they will feel they no longer can give anything else for a while.” READ PAM'S STORY Kirby “I’ve come such a long way since I was that shy toddler all those years ago.” READ KIRBY'S STORY Natasha “This isn’t a job for everybody. You really have to have a passion to do this. I can’t imagine doing anything else.” READ NATASHA'S STORY Lenox “At two months, he was diagnosed with leukemia and given just two weeks to live. With experimental chemotherapy, he survived.” READ LENOX'S STORY Brittany “Who would have thought that something as simple as making a bed every day could be so life-changing?” READ BRITTANY'S STORY Sasha “It has brought me great joy knowing I was able to have a positive impact on a young life.” READ SASHA'S STORY Barbara “I was overwhelmed by the graciousness of the Puerto Rican residents we helped. In a senior facility with 240 elderly and disabled individuals, there were no complaints when we arrived, only thanks and warm smiles.” READ BARBARA'S STORY Steve “For me, what I still find unbelievable is that I became homeless. I was educated and had a long work history.” READ STEVE'S STORY Boyd “When I played at Volunteers of America’s GolfStar Classic with my son, Tom, to support the VOA adoption program, few realized that we were far more invested in the program than others.” READ BOYD'S STORY James “I’ve always loved helping people. Having been in a situation where I had to depend on others has made me more determined to continue to help people as much as I can.” READ JAMES' STORY Ralph “I was thinking that it would be easy to get back on my feet. It wasn’t that easy.” READ RALPH'S STORY Wayne Miller “Treatment is for a season, but God and recovery are for a lifetime.” READ WAYNE'S STORY Pastor Al “I was the first ex-con to be allowed Chaplaincy at the same prison that locked me up for years.” READ PASTOR AL'S STORY Charmaine “This time around I saw I needed help and eventually sought out the help for myself because it was the first time I felt people around me genuinely wanted to see me win.” READ CHARMAINE'S STORY Wayne “The hospital staff tells me that I have a great, positive attitude. The staff and nurses made me a special ‘Best Patient Award’.” READ WAYNE'S STORY Christina “Every day, I’m helping women just like me. As the Intake Specialist, I’m like the front door. And I can relate to people because I’ve been there.” READ CHRISTINA'S STORY Lloyd “Getting the chance to help others makes me feel truly blessed every day.” READ LLOYD'S STORY Sheila “This just shows how the things we do outside of our own paid professions can contribute to our preparedness at work.” READ SHEILA'S STORY Kelly “I did not go home to my family for over 2 months, just because I wanted to keep them safe. I’ve missed my loved ones and my home.” READ KELLY'S STORY Holland Family “I’m so grateful that we trusted our gut and started fostering the twins as babies because they gave us our forever family.” READ THE HOLLANDS' STORY GET HELP DONATE OUR MINISTRY VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA 1660 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 341-5000 Sign Up for Our Email © 2021 Volunteers of America - All Rights Reserved. We are designated tax-exempt under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Tax ID 13-1692595. Your contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. 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