Across the Northern Shenandoah Valley, the power of volunteers helps fuel the nonprofits our neighbors rely on every day. From crisis support lines and food distribution programs to education initiatives and healthcare access, volunteers are often the driving force behind community care.

Behind nearly every nonprofit program is a volunteer who showed up.

Through Our Health’s network of nearly 100 partner organizations, that volunteer energy becomes real, measurable impact across the region.

Volunteerism remains one of the strongest expressions of civic engagement in the United States. Recent research from the U.S. Census Bureau and AmeriCorps found that more than 75.7 million Americans—about 28.3% of adults—volunteer through organizations each year.

Together, those volunteers contribute nearly five billion hours of service annually, representing an estimated $167 billion in economic value nationwide.

That impact becomes even clearer when measured at the individual level. The latest data from Independent Sector estimates that the average value of a volunteer hour in the United States is $34.79.

But the true value of volunteerism goes far beyond economics.

Volunteers bring compassion, connection, and human presence to services that cannot run on funding alone.

Virginia communities have long relied on volunteers to sustain essential services. According to the Volunteering and Civic Life in America report, 31.6% of Virginia residents volunteer through organizations, contributing more than 156 million hours of service valued at over $5.2 billion statewide.

That service strengthens what many leaders now refer to as community or civic infrastructure—the network of organizations, programs, and partnerships that allow communities to respond to challenges and support residents in need.

In practical terms, this infrastructure looks like:

• Volunteers answering crisis hotline calls
• Drivers delivering meals and transportation to medical appointments
• Mentors supporting youth and students
• Community members organizing food distributions
• Administrative volunteers helping nonprofits operate efficiently

These contributions help nonprofit organizations expand their reach, improve services, and respond more effectively when community needs grow.

In the Northern Shenandoah Valley, volunteerism supports a broad ecosystem of nonprofit services. Through Our Health’s regional network, volunteers contribute to programs that address:

• Healthcare access
• Housing stability
• Food security
• Education and workforce development
• Mental health and crisis support
• Services for older adults and individuals with disabilities

When volunteers step forward, the impact ripples outward.

A single volunteer shift might help distribute hundreds of meals, answer a call that prevents a crisis, or assist a family in navigating healthcare services. Multiplied across dozens of organizations and thousands of volunteer hours, those moments become a powerful force for community wellbeing.

Nonprofit systems depend on collaboration.

Funding supports programs.
Staff coordinates services.
But volunteers provide the human capacity that makes those services possible at scale.

Across Our Health’s partner organizations, volunteers help nonprofits reach more people, extend services further, and build stronger relationships with the communities they serve.

In many cases, volunteers also become advocates, donors, and community leaders—strengthening the long-term sustainability of the nonprofit sector itself.

Research consistently shows that communities with strong volunteer engagement also experience higher levels of trust, cooperation, and social connection.

Volunteerism builds relationships between neighbors.
It increases civic participation.
And it creates pathways for residents to take part in shaping the well-being of their own communities.

In other words, volunteers do more than support nonprofit work. 

They strengthen the fabric of the community itself.

These contributions demonstrate the power of volunteers to strengthen community infrastructure and expand the reach of nonprofit services throughout the region.

April is National Volunteer Month, a time to recognize the individuals who give their time, skills, and compassion to strengthen communities across the country.

Throughout the Northern Shenandoah Valley, volunteers are welcoming clients, delivering services, supporting nonprofit teams, and helping neighbors navigate difficult moments.

Their work may not always be visible.

But its impact is everywhere.

At Our Health, we see every day how volunteer energy strengthens the nonprofit network serving our region.

Our role is to help those organizations connect, collaborate, and grow so that the services our neighbors rely on remain strong and sustainable.

When volunteers step forward, they help power that network.

And when communities invest in nonprofits, they strengthen the systems that allow volunteers—and the organizations they support—to make an even greater impact.

Because strong communities are not built by organizations alone.
They are built by people who choose to show up for one another.

If you believe in the power of volunteers and the organizations that support them, consider making a gift to Our Health. Your support helps strengthen the network of nonprofits serving the Northern Shenandoah Valley and ensures the services our neighbors rely on remain strong for years to come.