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 Give your heart to a child
By Lisa Schaffner
February is the month to Give Your Heart to a Child. That’s the theme of VEFC’s annual February gala — and, in my opinion, words we should all live by. So, boomers, let’s borrow the theme and run with it by reaching out to a child and giving back.
Here are a few ideas.
Volunteer Emergency Families for Children, a statewide nonprofit based in Richmond, trains families to take in at-risk children at a moment’s notice. Families provide a safe and loving home for a child from several hours up to 21 days free of charge. The average stay is five days.
Here’s a typical story: Police arrest a couple at their home on drug charges. Inside, they find a 2-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy. The children cannot go to jail. So, a VEFC family is called. The children are safe in their temporary home within the hour.
VEFC host families are located across the commonwealth, and you can be one. A training class is slated for early spring. Learn more by logging onto www.vefc.org or calling 804-379-7767.
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Virginia Mentoring Partnership links volunteers with mentoring opportunities in your community. Several years ago, the partnership did a study showing 150,000 young people in Virginia could benefit from spending time with a caring adult mentor and that only 20,000 were receiving formal, mentoring relationships – leaving 130,000 in our state waiting for a mentor! That's where you can help.
Think about what age group of children you'd like to work with – and if you'd like to mentor in your community, in a school or with a faith-based group. You also need to consider how much time you'd like to volunteer.
Once you've done that log onto www.vamentoring.org and click on the “Be A Mentor” icon. The Volunteer Referral system will match you with a mentoring opportunity. If you have further questions, call 804-828-1536.
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If you’re looking to put a smile on a child’s face and see it firsthand, consider being a Henrico CASA volunteer. As a volunteer with Court Appointed Special Advocates, you’ll stand up for abused or neglected children, making sure that a child’s voice is heard in court and that the child’s needs are met in everything from abuse and neglect cases to custody disputes.
There are three main requirements, according to Dayle Goldberg, Henrico CASA program manager: You must be open-minded, be nonjudgmental and ask a lot of questions. Goldberg says a CASA volunteer is often the only consistent person in a child’s life.
As a Henrico CASA volunteer, you must make a one-year commitment. Goldberg admits that can be a little intimidating these days, especially as many of us feel so uncertain about our own lives. But it’s necessary to ensure you’ll be with a child through his or her entire court process. Depending on the child’s court case, you’ll volunteer up to 20 hours a month.
Henrico CASA volunteers must submit an application, take part in an interview and undergo a standard background check. A 35-hour training class starts April 13 and runs for six weeks. On graduation night, you walk out the door with a child’s case in your hand. Talk about incentive!
For more information on Henrico CASA, check out www.henricocasa.org or call 804-501-1675 to sign up for the April volunteer training.
There are CASA groups in Chesterfield and Richmond as well. For more details on volunteering with Richmond CASA, check out www.richmondcasa.org or call 804-646-0516. Chesterfield CASA can be contacted at 804-276-7660 or through www.chesterfieldcasa.org.
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February is known for Valentine’s Day, when people traditionally express their love through cards and flowers. This year, give your heart to someone who really needs it. Give your heart to a child.
And while you’re at it, save a little to give all year long. There’s a lot of need out there — a lot of young hearts who need you in their corner.
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Lisa Schaffner, a former news anchor for WRIC-TV, Richmond, VA is spokesperson for the United Network for Organ Sharing. Contact her at
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