Want to help? Volunteer!

ALIVE! is working with the city and other organizations to assess and coordinate assignments for our volunteers to address the needs around COVID-19. We will provide information as soon as possible and look forward to your support. Please visit Volunteer Alexandria to register and see what open volunteer assignments are available.

Guidelines for Volunteers during COVID-19 Outbreak in Virginia

During this National Emergency, we understand that those who are not suffering from the virus or who may have already recovered from the virus, may want to help. However, all volunteer activities should adhere to critical health and safety protocols in order to protect Volunteers, Residents, Clients, and Service Agencies

General Guidelines for Volunteers:

DO NOT attempt to volunteer if you have:

Have experienced symptoms that could be related to COVID-19 in the last 14 days
Been around anyone who has COVID-19 in the last 14 days
Traveled to any foreign country in the last 14 days
Been on a cruise or been in an airport in the last 14 days
Been to an event where more than 50 people were in attendance in the last 14 days

DO NOT show up to volunteer for any activity without confirming that there is a need for the activity, that it will be conducted, and that volunteer support is needed and expected.

DO NOT consider volunteering if you live with or are in frequent contact with people in the higher-risk categories for the virus.

DO ask about any risk that may be associated with the task and DO NOT take part if you are uncomfortable with the level of risk.

DO practice universal infection control precautions.

Clean and wash your hands before, during, and after volunteering for a minimum of 20 seconds.
Bring your own hand sanitizer and mask. We are not able to supply these at the moment.
Avoid physical contact with others and maintain a social distance of 6 feet.
Cover your cough and sneezes with your elbow or tissue.
If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

DO call ahead to the service agency and ask if any additional safety precautions should be taken before, during and after the shift.

DO allow for extra time for additional screening from volunteer organizations or agencies to make sure you are cleared to volunteer for the task.

DO clean and sanitize gathering spaces or meal distribution sites regularly. Dispose of cleaning materials properly and contain any contaminated materials.

DO clean any used spaces thoroughly before and after, including table top surfaces and door knobs/handles.

DO use proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) if needed/provided for the task.

DO maintain the social distancing of 6ft apart ESPECIALLY when interacting with general public through meal pickups and deliveries. This is critical given the shortage of masks.

DO expect that shifts or opportunities may be cancelled; especially volunteer opportunities working with the vulnerable populations. Please be gracious and understanding.

DO realize that traditional services may shift.

DO register your capabilities and availability or find volunteer opportunities that may be available in your area.

ALL volunteers need to wear cloth face coverings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. Volunteers should fashion face coverings from household items or common materials, such as clean T-shirts or other clean cloths that can cover the nose and mouth area. Medical personal protective equipment such as N95 respirators or surgical masks will not be necessary or be provided for this purpose as these should be reserved for the appropriate personnel.

IF we are feel you are not following safety protocols, we may ask you to leave.

ALIVE! Food Volunteer Opportunities

Some volunteer opportunities are temporarily suspended due to COVID-19. Please visit Volunteer Alexandria to register and see what open volunteer assignments are available.

All Food Program volunteers must be scheduled in advance with the Food Program Director. Not all activities are suitable for groups, especially large groups.

Role	Description
Quarantine Food Packer	Prepare groceries for food-insecure households that have a COVID-19 positive patient.
Grocery Packers	Packers for mass bag packing operation. Some light to moderate lifting and on feet the whole time for 2-3 hour shifts.
Truck-to-Trunk Stuff the Bus Helpers	May 29 stuff 2 Dash buses with 2000 pre-packed grocery bags weighing 6 pounds each.
Truck-to-Trunk Translators	May 30: Spanish, Amharic, and Arabic translators at Truck-to-Trunk to explain how to receive groceries.
On Call Warehouse Workers	Available to be on call for short notice, same-day assignments such as meeting delivery truck at offsite location, picking up something/supplies, loading pallets, etc. Some lifting required.
ALIVE! House Volunteers	Accepted on a case-by-case basis for various needs such as cleaning to ready home for new residents, conduct groups with residents on various topics, mentoring, sponsoring.
Handyman	Handyman as needed to fix, install, and maintain items and spaces in shelter and homes. Experience in electrical work and plumbing a plus.
Grocery/Produce packer – Brent Place	On the 2nd Mondays of each month, 8am at Brent Place Apartments. Pack groceries and bag produce for 100 households. Usually done within 2 hours.
Meat Pickup	Every Monday (incl. holidays), 7am. One or two able-bodied people to pick up meat and other donations at local grocer, bring to warehouse, unload and put away in freezers. Will have use of ALIVE! van or truck.
Delivery/Pickup support	One able-bodied person needed weekday mornings to load/unload the truck for pickups and deliveries, accompany the ALIVE! staff driver. Requires lifting boxes that may weigh 60 pounds each. 9am or 10am until done (usually by noon), varies based on the schedule.
Pallet Packer	One or two able-bodied people to prepare pallets of food for delivery. Involves lifting and carrying boxes that are up to 60 pounds each. Varied days/hours based on schedule.
Warehouse Inventory support	Able-bodied people needed to move boxes throughout the warehouse inventory. Involves lifting and carrying boxes that are up to 60 pounds each.
Bag Packer	Pack and/or check quality control for ALIVE!’s Welcome Bags and Children’s Program Weekend Care Bags. Good for small groups and youth!
Sorter	Check dates and sort non-perishable donations. Must be detail-oriented and able to follow meticulous protocols. Good for individuals or small groups; not appropriate for children.
Bag Recycler	Sort through paper, plastic and shopping tote bags into reuse or recycle
Friday Set Up for Last Saturday	6:30pm – 8:00pm (approximate, until done) Pre-stage distribution areas on Friday evening before ALIVE!’s Last Saturday Food Distribution. Unload food and supplies from truck and set work areas. Requires able-bodied people to lift/move large and/or heavy objects. Recurs on Fridays preceding the last Saturday of each month January through October, and Friday before the second Saturday in December. Great for all size groups!
Last Saturday Food Distribution	7:30am – 12:30pm (approximate, until done; varies based on site) Register/intake clients (computer proficiency and prior training required), pack non-perishable groceries, bag fresh produce, distribute food to clients, help clients load groceries into vehicles, break down equipment and load onto truck. Break down and loading requires heavy lifting. Recurs on the last Saturdays, January through October, and second Saturday in December. Must receive Civil Rights Training, regardless of age. Great for all size groups! Minimum age 10.
Saturday Warehouse Manager	This is a permanent, part-time volunteer position. Saturdays 9:30am to 2pm (approximate, until done). Manage tabling events at local grocers; receive and put away produce delivery from farmers market gleaning. Ideally requires a large personal vehicle to transport food, but may also arrange use of the company van. May be able to split weekends as a job share opportunity if two or more people are interested.

Volunteer

To volunteer, complete the Volunteer Form and someone will be in touch to direct you. Please allow a few days for someone to contact you.

Contact the Program Manager directly to learn about how you can serve in a leadership role or join a planning committee.

If your congregation is not on our list and you would like to know more about what it takes to be a congregation member, contact the Executive Director.

Get involved with a group or congregation that is already doing work with ALIVE!. Many congregations are connected to ALIVE!.

ALIVE! welcomes groups looking to do service together. If your school, youth program, gym, club, or group of friends wants to do something, contact us at (703) 837-9321 or info@alive-inc.org.