News Releases

Volunteers of America Names Dr. Jonathan Sherin to Lead Rapidly-Growing Services for Veterans
Volunteers of America, one of the nation’s oldest and largest human service charities, announced today that Jonathan Sherin, M.D., Ph.D., has joined the organization in the newly created role of Executive Vice President for Veteran’s Affairs and Chief Medical Officer.

Volunteers of America Receives $1M from The Home Depot® Foundation to Provide Homes and Services to Vets in Need
As part of its “Celebration of Service” initiative to honor U.S. military veterans, The Home Depot® Foundation announced $1 million in grants to Volunteers of America to address the critical need for housing and services for U.S. military veterans.

The Home Depot Foundation, The Mission Continues and Volunteers of America MI to Build a Veterans Memorial Park
Almost 100 volunteers from The Home Depot Foundation, The Mission Continues and Volunteers of America MI will team up to transform a vacant lot in downtown Detroit into a Veterans Memorial Park, a vibrant new green space with beautiful landscaping, benches and a large pergola.

Volunteers of America Homeless Veteran Facility Gets New Coat of Paint
The 48 bedrooms of Volunteers of America of Greater Ohio’s Veterans Resource Center will get a new coat of paint thanks to 100 Home Depot® associates. To honor the homeless veteran residents of the center and to mark the special occasion, volunteers will also hold a commemorative board signing.

An Oasis on Skid Row… Courtesy of The Home Depot and Volunteers of America
On July 21, 2011 more than 50 associates from The Home Depot stores around the southland will volunteer their time and home improvement skills at Volunteers of America’s largest transitional housing facility in downtown Los Angeles.

Volunteers of America Honors Senator George McGovern with 2011 Good Samaritan Award in Philanthropy
We recently presented our 2011 Good Samaritan Award to former presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. George McGovern in recognition of his public service career dedicated to fighting against poverty and hunger in America.

Volunteers of America Honors Sioux Falls Philanthropist T. Denny Sanford with its 2011 Ballington and Maud Booth Award
Volunteers of America, one of the nation’s largest and oldest human services charities, presented its highest honor – the 2011 Ballington and Maud Booth Award – to T. Denny Sanford on June 14 during the organization’s national conference in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Volunteers of America Honors KELOLAND TV News Director Beth Jensen with its 2011 Empathy Award
We presented our 2011 Empathy Award to South Dakota journalist Beth Jensen in Sioux Falls on June 14. The Empathy Award recognizes authors, journalists and news organizations for outstanding community service and excellence in reporting about social issues.

Volunteers of America Honors Joe and Elaine Floyd with its 2011 Outstanding Community Service Award
Sioux Falls-area philanthropists Joe and Elaine Floyd were presented with our 2011 Outstanding Community Service Award in recognition of their years of service to a wide variety of local charitable causes. The award was presented by Volunteers of America, Dakotas, based in Sioux Falls, during the organization’s national conference at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.

Major League Baseball Players Award $150,000 in Grants to Volunteers of America Programs Nationwide
Major League baseball players presented $150,000 in grants from the Major League Baseball Players Trust to five Volunteers of America programs that further the organization’s mission to strengthen communities and build better lives for those in need. A total of $880,000 has been provided by the Players Trust to 59 Volunteers of America programs since the first grants were presented in 2003.

Volunteers of America Honors Programs Dedicated to Building Stronger Families
Volunteers of America of Kentucky was presented with the ninth-annual Volunteers of America/Annie E. Casey Foundation Family Strengthening Award on June 14 in recognition of its work to build stronger families and end the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

Volunteers of America Innovation Recognized by Global Media Company
WellAWARE Systems, the developer of breakthrough technology designed to enable proactive and preventive senior care, announced it has been named a finalist for the 2011 Red Herring 100 North America Award.

Volunteers of America and Major League Baseball Players Promote Service-Learning through New PSA Campaign
Major League baseball players and Volunteers of America are supporting their ongoing efforts to help train and inspire the next generation of volunteers by launching a new radio and TV public service announcement campaign, titled “Are You In?”. The spots were created to encourage students and teachers to volunteer through the high school-based Action Team national youth volunteer program.

Boomer Bust 2011, Unprepared & Unaware
This year, America’s baby boomers – 78 million people in all – begin turning 65 and this growing demographic wave threatens to cripple our financial and health care systems and significantly burden future generations.

The Home Depot Foundation Pledges Funds to Provide Veterans with Housing
Volunteers of America has partnered with The Home Depot Foundation to provide quality homes to veterans and their families. The foundation is providing $1.8 million to rehab properties where veterans and their families live.

Report Shows Looming Threat for Senior Care
With the country still recovering from the economic downturn, Volunteers of America has released an eye-opening study on the state of aging in the U.S. The collision of the economy, the health care crisis and a large population of aging Americans has put many families in or near financial crisis.

Tom Turnbull Named New Chief Operating Officer for Volunteers of America
Volunteers of America announced today that Tom Turnbull has been named to its newly-created Chief Operating Officer position. A more than 30-year veteran of the organization, Turnbull will oversee the organization’s national health care and housing division.

Childhood Disrupted: New Report Examines Children’s Lives When Mother is in Prison
Most incarcerated mothers feel unprepared to resume caring for their children after being released from prison, and the majority of these families don’t have access to the support they need to rebuild parental bonds and establish successful lives, according to the results of new research.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray Presented 2010 Good Samaritan Award in Philanthropy
Volunteers of America presented its 2010 Good Samaritan Award in Philanthropy to U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) in recognition of her legislative career dedicated to helping veterans and others in need. The award was presented on Oct. 27 at the offices of Volunteers of America Western Washington.

Volunteers of America Launches New Celebrity PSA Campaign to Encourage Family Members to Talk About Aging
As Volunteers of America continues to move boldly forward with its focus on aging issues, a new public service announcement (PSA) campaign is being launched featuring celebrities, kicking off with Joan and Melissa Rivers.

Volunteers of America Honors Raul Yzaguirre, Former National Council of La Raza President, with its 2010 Booth Award
Volunteers of America, one of the nation’s largest and oldest human services charities, presented its highest honor – the 2010 Ballington and Maud Booth Award – to Raul Yzaguirre on June 7 during the organization’s national conference in Seattle.

Volunteers of America Honors Author and Cultural Anthropologist Mary Catherine Bateson with its 2010 Empathy Award
Volunteers of America, one of the nation’s largest and oldest human services organizations, presented its 2010 Empathy Award to author Mary Catherine Bateson in Seattle on June 7.

Major League Baseball Players Award $150,000 in Grants to Volunteers of America Programs Nationwide
Major League baseball players presented $150,000 in grants from the Major League Baseball Players Trust to six Volunteers of America programs that further the organization’s mission to strengthen communities and build better lives for those in need.

Volunteers of America Honors The Boeing Company and The Employees Community Fund of Boeing with its 2010 Outstanding Community Service Award
The Boeing Company and The Employees Community Fund of Boeing were presented June 7 with Volunteers of America’s 2010 Outstanding Community Service Award, in recognition of the support provided by both organizations to Volunteers of America’s Western Washington office during the past 50 years.

Volunteers of America Honors Programs Dedicated to Building Stronger Families
Volunteers of America of Indiana was presented with the eighth-annual Volunteers of America/Annie E. Casey Foundation Family Strengthening Award on June 7 in recognition of its work to build stronger families and end the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

Michael King Named New National President and CEO
Michael ("Mike") King is our new national president and chief executive officer. He will lead the 114 year-old faith-based organization as it continues to expand its existing services to needy Americans while also implementing a new strategy focused on innovative services for older people.

Study Shows Women In America Prefer Aging at Home But Many Will Not Have Financial Resources To Do So
In a study released by Volunteers of America, women 45 to 65 years of age report that they are frighteningly unprepared for old age—financially, legally or emotionally. Many of these women also find themselves having to care for an aging parent and 48 percent of these caregivers report that the economic downturn has made the role of caregiver more difficult.

Displaced Seniors Return Home to New Orleans
Volunteers of America, a leading national nonprofit organization with established roots in New Orleans, welcomed home seniors displaced by Hurricane Katrina during a grand opening for The Terraces on Tulane on March 26.

Volunteers of America National President/CEO Charles W. Gould Announces Departure
Charles W. (“Chuck”) Gould, national president and chief executive officer of Volunteers of America, announced today that he will leave his position at the end of his current five-year term in June 2010 after 15 years as president.

Volunteers of America Fields Team of Homeless Players To Compete In Washington, D.C. Street Soccer USA Cup
Volunteers of America announced today that it has a team arriving in Washington, D.C to compete in the Street Soccer USA Cup, at Kastles Stadium (11th and H streets, N.W.), July 31 through August 2.

WellAWARE Systems Launches Next-Generation Wellness Monitoring Solution for Senior Care Providers
WellAWARE Systems, the leading developer of next-generation wellness monitoring solutions for senior care providers, today announced commercial availability of its products.

Volunteers of America Urges Members of Congress to Include the CLASS Act and its Provisions for Long-Term Care Funding as Part of Health Care Reform Legislation
Volunteers of America, one of the nation’s leading providers of housing and services for seniors, today applauded efforts in the Senate to provide funding for long-term care for older Americans, and urged all members of Congress to include these critical and much-needed provisions as part of any health care reform legislation.

Volunteers of America Applauds President Obama and Pharmaceutical Companies on Their Deal to Expand Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage to More Older Americans
Volunteers of America, one of the nation’s leading providers of housing and services for seniors, today applauded President Obama and the pharmaceutical industry for their efforts to expand Medicare-funded prescription drug benefits to more American seniors.

Volunteers of America Honors Shane Victorino of the Philadelphia Phillies with its 2009 Outstanding Community Service Award
Shane Victorino of the World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies was presented this week with Volunteers of America’s 2009 Outstanding Community Service Award, in recognition of his work as a mentor and inspiration to Philadelphia-area youth volunteers through the national Action Team program.

Volunteers of America Honors Programs Dedicated to Improving Children’s Lives
Volunteers of America, one of the nation’s oldest and largest human services organizations, presented its seventh-annual Volunteers of America/Annie E. Casey Foundation Family Strengthening Awards on June 8 to three programs dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing holistic services to families.

Major League Baseball Players Award $150,000 in Grants to Volunteers of America Programs Serving the Needy
Major League baseball players today presented $150,000 in grants from the Major League Baseball Players Trust to five Volunteers of America programs that further the organization’s mission to strengthen communities and build better lives for those in need. A total of $580,000 has been provided by the Players Trust to dozens of Volunteers of America programs across the U.S. since the first grants were given 2003.

Volunteers of America Honors Chris and Kathleen Matthews, The Chronicle of Philanthropy and Sen. Barbara Mikulski at the Library of Congress
Volunteers of America, one of the nation’s largest and oldest human services organizations, presented its highest honor – the 2009 Ballington and Maud Booth Award – to Chris and Kathleen Matthews during a gala dinner at the Library of Congress on June 5.

Volunteers of America Named Top Nonprofit Owner of Affordable Housing in the U.S.
Volunteers of America, one of the nation’s oldest and largest social service organizations, has been named the top nonprofit owner and one of the leading nonprofit developers of affordable housing in the United States by Affordable Housing Finance magazine.

Volunteers of America Applauds President for Authorizing National Service Bill
Volunteers of America, one of the nation’s oldest and largest social service organizations, today applauded President Obama for signing the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which greatly expands funding and programs aimed at fostering community service. Congress still must approve funding included in the bill.

Volunteers of America Receives HUD Funds to Build 253 Homes in Six Communities for Low-Income Seniors and People with Disabilities
Volunteers of America, the nation’s leading nonprofit developer of affordable housing in the United States, announced today the award of more than $33.5 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide housing for low-income seniors and people with disabilities in five states.

Rosemarie A. Rae Named as Volunteers of America's New Executive Vice President of Strategy
Volunteers of America President Charles W. Gould announced today that Rosemarie A. Rae has been named as the national organization’s new executive vice president of strategy.

Volunteers of America Provides Affordable Housing to Seniors in Puerto Rico
Volunteers of America, one of the largest nonprofit providers of affordable housing in the United States, today dedicated the award-winning Victor Hernandez senior apartments, located at 10965 Carr. 467 Int. in Aguadilla. The four-story, 42-unit residence was built to provide homes to low-income seniors in Aguadilla who otherwise might be forced to leave their community to find housing that fit their needs.

Families Served by Volunteers of America Featured in "Hope is an Open Heart"
Volunteers of America, one of the nation’s top human service providers addressing the needs of children and families, has worked with Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, to create “Hope is an Open Heart,” an uplifting new book that teaches children hope can be found in some of the most unexpected places.

High School Students and Major Leaguers Go to Bat for Those in Need
The World Series may signal the nearing of the end of another thrilling baseball season, but it also means the beginning of another exciting season of volunteering for Action Teams of high school students and Major Leaguers on a mission to impact the lives of those in need.

Volunteers of America President and CEO Charles W. Gould Named One of the 50 Most Influential Philanthropic Leaders by NonProfit Times
Volunteers of America President and CEO Charles W. Gould has been named by NonProfit Times to its 2008 “Power & Influence Top 50” – a respected and coveted listing of the most influential leaders at work in American philanthropy. This is the fourth consecutive year Gould has been named to the annual list.

Volunteers of America Honors Programs Dedicated to Improving Children's Lives
Volunteers of America presented its sixth annual Volunteers of Amerca/Annie E. Casey Foundation Family Strengthening Awards today to three programs dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing holistic services to families.

Volunteers of America Honors Frank Glaviano, CNN and the New Orleans Saints Owner for Their Commitment to the Hurricane Katrina Recovery Effort
Volunteers of America presented its highest honors today to individuals and organizations that have championed the rebuilding of New Orleans in the three years since Hurricane Katrina.

Volunteers of America Honors the New Orleans Saints' Owner Tom Benson for His Commitment to Rebuilding the Community Following Hurricane Katrina
Volunteers of America, one of the nation’s largest and oldest human services organizations, has selected New Orleans Saints’ owner Tom Benson as the winner of its annual Good Samaritan Award in Philanthropy in recognition of his incomparable efforts to rebuild the region following Hurricane Katrina.

Volunteers of America's Angela King Named to the Board of ANCOR, a Leading National Advocate for Those with Developmental Disabilities
Angela King, national director of program development for Volunteers of America, has been named to the national board of the American Network of Community Options and Resources, or ANCOR.

Major League Baseball Players Trust Presents 10 Volunteers of America Programs a Total of $100,000 in Grants
The Major League Baseball Players Trust today presented $100,000 in grants to 10 Volunteers of America programs that further the organization’s mission to strengthen communities and build better lives for those in need.

Volunteers of America Organizes Army of 350 to Rebuild Parts of St. Bernard Parish
Volunteers of America, a national leader in supporting communities by providing affordable housing and other social services, will dispatch an army of more than 350 volunteers to help rebuild parts of St. Bernard Parish that remain devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The day of service coincides with Volunteers of America’s National Conference scheduled June 7-10 in New Orleans and is part of the organization’s long-term commitment to rebuild the Gulf Coast region.

Volunteers of America Applauds President for Authorizing The Second Chance Act
Volunteers of America today applauds President Bush for signing into law The Second Chance Act of 2007: Community Safety Through Recidivism Prevention. The bipartisan bill was passed by unanimous consent by the U.S. Senate in early March and by the U.S. House of Representatives last summer.

Volunteers of America Provides Affordable Housing While Rehabilitating Historic Structure
Volunteers of America today dedicated The Blakeley Building, which provides much-needed affordable housing to the region while rehabilitating a landmark historic structure in downtown Lawrence.

Seniors Coming Back Home to New Affordable Housing Community: Volunteers of America Breaks Ground on Property March 14th in New Orleans
Hundreds of elderly New Orleans residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina will soon be coming back home. Volunteers of America will break ground on their future home, The Terraces on Tulane, a 200-unit community for low-income seniors on Friday, March 14. A groundbreaking ceremony will begin at 12 noon at the site, located at 3615 Tulane Avenue in Mid City.