Last month, Jen Cobb and the Department of Public Work’s Engineering and Environmental Services Division highlighted their volunteer efforts as a division in cleaning up Henrico’s waterways. After seeing that article, other divisions across the County reached out and wanted to share their efforts in volunteering and just how they are giving back to the community.
“Our division chose to partner with the ORBIT program in the Sheriff’s Office by holding a clothing and toiletry drive for rehabilitated inmates. We were excited to partner with another County office in a way that closely aligned with our own purpose as a division. Our hope was that through our clothing donations, the inmates would gain confidence not only in how they are able to present themselves in job interviews, but also knowing they were supported by another division in the County,” said Whitney Jarvis, an HR Analyst in the Employment Compensation Services (ECS) Division of Human Resources. In one week, the ECS Division collected over 10 bags of suits, dresses, shoes, belts, shirts and pants for both male and female inmates integrating back into society after being released from jail. This volunteer effort helped benefit one of our very own Henrico programs and is just the tip of the iceberg in volunteer efforts departments can get involved in across Henrico.
In April, the County Attorney’s Office gathered a group of eight staff members who volunteered in the Community Kitchen at FeedMore assembling applesauce cups and snack bags in association with the Legal Food Frenzy (LFF). The County Attorney’s Office is no stranger to philanthropy as they have participated in the LFF for a few years now. This annual two-week event amongst Virginia’s legal community helps to raise funds and food for food banks throughout the area. Over the past 10 years, this event has raised the equivalent of more than 15.6 million pounds of food, and the Commonwealth Attorney’s office has a hand in its success.
The Risk Management Division of Human Resources also got into the volunteer spirit, collaborating with Community Revitalization to find a local Henrico homeowner in need of assistance. A team of seven employees got together in the summer heat to help remove weeds and overgrown vegetation from the homeowner’s yard. Working together for about three hours, their team was able to spruce up the landscape and even find and clear a fence that had been overgrown. With the landscaping under control, Community Revitalization was able to come in and paint the house, giving one more Henrico resident the help they needed.
If your department has been involved with a volunteer opportunity, we want to hear about it! Contact Jenn Montrose with details and pictures, and next time, your department might be featured, giving other teams ideas and inspiration to help the community.