Volunteers Make a Difference in Prince William County

In 2022, 3,645 Prince William County volunteers contributed 291,138 hours to support county programs. The value of their time was the equivalent of 149 full-time staff, saving the county $8,719,575.

Volunteers across the county deliver meals for the senior centers and help with chores at the Prince William County Animal Services Center. Volunteers also help at the Prince William County Police Department and work at the Prince William Adult Detention Center, the Fire and Rescue System, Parks, Recreation and Tourism, Prince William Public Libraries, the Office of Criminal Justice Services, the Virginia Cooperative Extension Prince William, or VCE and more.

“We have to have our volunteers,” said Business Services Analyst for the Prince William Area Agency on Aging Tracy Solomon. “We call them volunteer staff because they are staff. They’re valuable. We want to recognize them as part of us as a team. We couldn’t operate without them — absolutely not.”

Volunteers at the police department help with clerical tasks, assist in the police chief’s office, work in the logistics section and participate in role-playing during police exercises. The volunteers save uniformed officers time which allows the officers to concentrate on investigating crimes, accident investigations and other work requiring uniformed officers.  

“These functions would be something that would fall on sworn staff to complete rather than having them going out and doing what we need them to do,” said Prince William Police Sgt. Samuel Dixon. “We appreciate the dedication of people willing to provide free services to support the county’s mission to help us better support our citizens.”

Volunteers who work for VCE help people learn about gardening, tax preparation, parent education and managing money. Volunteers also help run the 4-H Youth Development, housing counseling programs, small business workshops and more.

The skills volunteers bring to the county are as varied as the county’s demographics.

“There are just so many walks of life that the volunteers can come from, and the skills, credentials, perspectives and the diversity that they bring with them complements what we need in our community,” said VCE Unit Director Paige Thacker. “Some people can give five or 10 hours, but some people give 1,000 hours every year. You come to depend on them just like staff. They understand processes and how things work. We wouldn’t be able to offer our programs without our volunteers.”

Volunteers Roberta Wilson and Juanita Chamberlain work at the Woodbridge Senior Center front desk and do what they can to make people who come to the center feel at home.

“I volunteer because I like working with the staff at the center, the senior citizens, and getting things done. I enjoy what I do, helping people in whatever capacity I’m needed,” said Wilson, who retired from New York City government, where she worked in the Human Resources department leading the payroll, timekeeping and benefits unit. “When we see their smiles, we make them feel comfortable and welcomed.”

Chamberlain and Wilson also help wherever needed, whether answering phone calls, helping serve lunch or giving tours of the senior center.

“For me, it’s a pleasure to serve,” said Chamberlain, a retired customer service representative for Snooks Market, a large grocery store chain based in St. Louis. “It gets me out of the house.”

Katelynn Linzie started volunteering for Prince William Public Libraries when she was 13 and said she likes watching people enjoy the libraries and their programs and services. Working for the library might also give Linzie an edge in the future.

“I get work experience out of volunteering. I would love to work in a library, so volunteering is valuable for the skills I need in my career. I also create good relationships with my coworkers and patrons,” said Linzie, a Library Sciences major currently enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College with plans for dual enrollment at NOVA and Central Carolina this fall. “Volunteering for libraries is very important to the community. The library needs help with programs and processing books for book sales, especially in the busy summer months. No matter your age or time of year, you can help; the libraries can always use assistance.”

Visit pwcva.gov and click “Get Involved” for volunteer opportunities with Prince William County.