By Rebecca Barnes, Publisher, Prince William Living

Some people know exactly how they want to help their community. Others simply know they want to do something. For 45 years, Volunteer Prince William has helped connect that willingness to serve with a place where it can make a difference. Founded in 1981 as the Voluntary Action Center of the Prince William Area, Inc., Volunteer Prince William has been nominated for the Prince William Living Giving Back Award for its work mobilizing volunteers and resources throughout Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park.

Its mission is simple: building a stronger community by connecting volunteers with opportunities to serve. What happens after that connection can be anything but simple. A volunteer might drive a veteran to a medical appointment. Another might help clear snow from the home of a senior who needs to get to dialysis. A donor might make Christmas possible for a child they will never meet.

Volunteer Prince William helps put those pieces together.

When a Ride Means Much More Than Transportation

Through its VETS Program, Volunteer Prince William works with the Prince William County Area Agency on Aging to provide transportation for veterans, their spouses, and surviving spouses.  According to the Giving Back Award nomination submitted by volunteer Lisa Davis, volunteer drivers provided 1,158 rides to 117 veteran clients during FY26, donating 1,423 hours and driving 18,846 miles.

Those miles helped people get to medical appointments, pharmacies, grocery stores, and other essential destinations. Davis says the impact often goes further. Regular rides can lead to friendships between volunteers and clients. For someone experiencing isolation, having a familiar person arrive to take them to an appointment can provide companionship as well as transportation. “For many, the program becomes about much more than transportation,” Davis wrote in the nomination. “It becomes a source of friendship, connection, and support.”

When the Snow Falls, Volunteers Answer

Volunteer Prince William’s role in the community can change quickly when an emergency occurs. The organization partners with Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park to help coordinate volunteers during emergencies and community crises.

Davis pointed to the January 2026 snowstorm as one example. According to the nomination, Volunteer Prince William responded to more than 620 calls, helping seniors and other vulnerable residents remove snow and ice so they could safely leave their homes for critical medical care, including dialysis and cancer treatments. It is a good example of what a volunteer network can accomplish when a community suddenly needs people willing to help.

Making the Holidays Brighter

For many local families, Volunteer Prince William is also closely associated with UnTrim-A-Tree. The donor-funded holiday program works with local schools, social services, and community partners to provide gifts and necessities to children in need. Its companion, the Senior Basket Program, remembers older residents who may otherwise feel overlooked during the holidays.

The scale of the effort requires more than donations. Someone has to identify needs, recruit donors, coordinate volunteers, collect gifts, organize thousands of items, and make sure they reach the right people. Davis says staff and volunteers give up evenings, weekends, and time during the holiday season to make it happen.

For the recipients, the result may be a warm coat, a toy or a basket of necessities. It can also be a reminder that somebody thought about them.

The Organization Behind the Volunteers

Volunteer Prince William also coordinates Alternative Community Service placements and maintains a network connecting residents with volunteer opportunities offered by nonprofits and community organizations throughout the region.

That may be its most unusual contribution.

Volunteer Prince William’s impact cannot be measured only by the people its own programs serve. Every time it connects a volunteer with another nonprofit, school, government agency or community project, its reach expands.

Davis describes a small staff with a much larger footprint. “They bring people and organizations together, mobilize volunteers, and turn generosity into meaningful action,” she wrote.

For 45 years, Volunteer Prince William has been doing exactly that. One volunteer. One ride. One gift. One shoveled driveway. One person deciding they have a little time to give and finding someone who needs it.

Then doing it again.

Which Nonprofit Deserves the Giving Back Award?

Volunteer Prince William is one of the organizations nominated. Prince William Living and Give Back Prince William recognize nonprofits making a difference throughout Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park.

There are many more stories waiting to be told. Which nonprofit would you like to see recognized?

Maybe it helped your family. Maybe you’ve volunteered there. Maybe you’ve watched its staff quietly solve problems in our community for years. We want to know about it.

Nominate your favorite Prince William nonprofit for the Giving Back Award.

Your nomination gives Prince William Living an opportunity to introduce more readers to the organizations, volunteers, and people doing important work close to home.

About Give Back Prince William

Give Back Prince William supports efforts that strengthen our community and improve quality of life throughout Greater Prince William.

Learn more about Give Back Prince William.

Meet More People Who Give Back

There is no shortage of people doing good things in Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park. We want to keep telling you about them.

Subscribe to Prince William Living to receive more local stories and meet the people and organizations helping shape our community.