SOAR365 Summer Camp Medical VolunteerNever underestimate the power of helping hands. That’s according to Daniel Blair, a Registered Nurse in Day and Respite Services, in describing Christian Ellis, RN, and her contributions at Camp Baker this past summer. “It is always a huge help having extra medical hands,” he said. Christian provided 40 hours of nursing...

SOAR365 Fall Case Management InternBrightpoint Community College student Crystina Covington grew up just down the road from SOAR365’s Camp Baker facility. So when the time came to decide on a location for her Human Services Internship, she didn’t have to think twice. “I have been aware of the services offered by SOAR365 for a majority of my life and I have...

SOAR365 Fall Respite & Day Services InternVCU senior Bonnie Smith is in the final stages of her undergraduate degree, pursuing a health sciences major and psychology minor. As a Richmond native, Bonnie has long been active in the local community, giving her time to a variety of organizations including CARITAS, Habitat for Humanity, Wounded Warriors,...

SOAR365 Adult Programs Gardening AssistantIf you were to ask Caitlin McBride how she first found out about volunteer opportunities with SOAR365, she might tell you that a little birdie showed her the way. To be exact, she was intrigued by our multi-colored crane logo as she drove by one day, and "when I researched the logo and read about SOAR365, I thought...

SOAR365 Adult Programs Support VolunteerFor many years, Mary Pasco has supported SOAR365 as a donor and advocate. As she considered options for deepening her relationship with the organization even further, volunteering seemed like the logical next step. "I took a tour of the Saunders facility in May and decided I'd like to assist in any way possible. I'm...

SOAR365 Children and Youth Programs Support VolunteerMeet Kelsey Madden, a senior at Mills E. Godwin High School. Kelsey's career ambitions began in elementary school when she encountered students with disabilities her own age. "They are some of the most important people in my life right now." Her passion led her to engage with a variety of organizations...

SOAR365 Case Management InternIf you are a regular CBS6 viewer, you probably saw a story at the end of October featuring our newest Case Management Intern, Taylor Thomas-Harris! Taylor, who graduated in May of this year from Virginia State University with a Bachelor of Social Work degree, wanted to add a professional internship experience to her resume and...

SOAR365 Children and Youth Support VolunteerFor SOAR365, successful volunteer engagement begins with passion – passion for the important work we do in the community and passion for serving in ways that support our program participants in their efforts to reach their goals and live their best lives. For Children and Youth Program Support volunteer Kaeli...

SOAR365 Children and Youth Support VolunteerAs a first-year student at VCU majoring in pre-radiation science, Sydney Weisfeld's days are filled with challenging science and math classes including biology, anatomy, physiology, and algebra. So she was initially attracted to the positive and fun environment she saw on the SOAR365 website. "In high-school, I...

SOAR365 Adult Program Support VolunteerFor some people, volunteering with SOAR365 is just a no-brainer. Liz Scher is one of those people. As a recently retired Special Education teacher with the Richmond Public School System, Liz continues to be "guided by the idea that all people should have the fullest life possible. SOAR365 endeavors to give people with...

SOAR365 Children & Youth Program Support VolunteerAs a Bonner Scholar, University of Richmond student Nehal Asif is required to engage in 6-8 hours of service each week with the organization of her choice for the duration of her college career. For Nehal, who eventually wants to become a pediatrician, the choice was pretty easy. “My baby cousin was...

SOAR365 Weekend Respite Program Support Volunteer"Don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone" is the advice that Caroline McKenna has to offer to potential SOAR365 volunteers. Her experience growing up with her brother Michael, who was born with Down Syndrome, taught her about "the importance of having a community who cares" and Caroline was thrilled...

SOAR365 Adult Program Research VolunteerLauren Pelfry, a native of Dallas TX, moved to the Richmond area just as the pandemic was unfolding, so settling in to her new home was a bit of a challenge. Although she found plenty of ways to indulge her passions for hiking and fitness, she wanted to connect to the community in a deeper, more meaningful way. After...

SOAR365 Administrative & Direct Service InternsSOAR365 is very excited to introduce our spring line-up of student interns, who will be supporting our administrative teams and direct services this semester in a variety of ways! Aljane Caragos – Aljane (pictured), a Brightpoint student majoring in Mass Communications, will be creating this year’s...

SOAR365 Next Generation Council Young Professional GroupKellie Mattingly currently works for the State of Virginia and has been a member of the Next Generation Council (NGC) since spring of 2021. In this Q & A, Kellie reflects on her motivations to get involved with the NGC and her experience so far: How did you hear about SOAR365’s Next Generation...

SOAR365 Project-Based Skilled VolunteerRetired professional Steve Marzolf has been working with SOAR365 since late last year to create a comprehensive Business Continuity Plan that would resolve current gaps and address a variety of scenarios. In a recent interview, Steve shared his motivations to get involved with SOAR365: Q: What attracted you to...

SOAR365 Adult Program Support VolunteerGrace Keller is a busy woman. In addition to being the mom of a young child, she is employed as a nurse with VCU Health Systems AND is in the final stages of qualifying for medical school. But, with all of this going on, she was still motivated to apply as a SOAR365 volunteer. “I took my son [to PARK365] and he loved...

SOAR365 Spring Social Media InternIn the fall of 2022, interning at a human services non-profit was not necessarily a part of Janani Sathish’s career plans. As a VCU sophomore pursuing degrees in marketing and finance, her ambitions leaned more toward somehow combining her majors with her passions – dance, lifestyle, fashion, and travel. Then she ran...

SOAR365 Spring Videography InternEach January, SOAR365 recruits a talented student intern to create a new volunteer impact video to celebrate National Volunteer Appreciation Week. This year’s student, Aljane Caragos, has hit the ground running with an exciting vision, impressive videography skills, and an abundance of ambition. Currently a Brightpoint...

Doctoral Capstone Student - SOAR365 Children and YouthWorking with individuals with disabilities has always been a passion for Morgan Mauck. As an undergrad student at JMU, she studied Health and Behavioral Science with a minor in Pre-Occupational Therapy and Special Education. She interned at various occupational therapy clinics and worked for four...