Volunteer Fairfax Receives State Farm® Lead Agency Designation to Engage Fairfax Youth in Large-Scale Projects for Global Youth Service Day, April 26-28, 2013

[Fairfax, VA]— YSA (Youth Service America) announces Volunteer Fairfax will serve as a State Farm Lead Agency, organizing Fairfax’s young people to lead projects that improve their communities. As a State Farm Lead Agency, Volunteer Fairfax receives a $2,000 grant, as well as ongoing training and expert consulting, to develop high-visibility, youth-led community service projects in the lead-up to Global Youth Service Day (GYSD), April 26-28, 2013.

To organize Global Youth Service day, Volunteer Fairfax convened a Youth Advisory Board, comprised of 13 High School students who meet monthly beginning in October to plan local projects for GYSD. The Youth Advisory Board allows these students to learn about the needs in their community and the nonprofits that serve these needs. They are also given opportunities to plan the GYSD projects and develop skills such as marketing and event planning. 

Project planning begins on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service (January 21, 2013), and projects culminate on Global Youth Service Day, the world’s largest service event. As a State Farm Lead Agency, Volunteer Fairfax will engage at least 1,000 youth in their GYSD events.

Now in its 25^th year, GYSD reaches more than one million young people via partnerships with schools, community groups and faith-based organizations. Service projects will occur in more than 100 countries and will address community needs such as healthy living, childhood hunger, and environmental conservation.

“We are thrilled Volunteer Fairfax is stepping up to lead Global Youth Service Day activities in Northern Virginia,” said Steven A. Culbertson, president and CEO of YSA. “Every youth should have the opportunity to make a difference.”

“Groups like Volunteer Fairfax are so critical to today’s youth.  Global Youth Service Day helps to strengthen, educate, and create safer communities – and with agencies like Volunteer Fairfax leading the charge, we feel confident that young people will be at the forefront of these efforts,” said Kathy Payne, senior director of Education Leadership at State Farm.

Volunteer Fairfax is one of 100 recipients of the State Farm Lead Agency grant, which was available to organizations in the United State and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario and New Brunswick. In partnership with YSA, State Farm awarded a total of $200,000 in Lead Agency grants to support youth-led projects designed to improve communities.  

Individuals can participate locally in Global Youth Service day by singing up for a project here: http://volunteerfairfax.civicore.com/public/index.php?section=globalYouthServiceDay&action=main. Over the last two years, local GYSD participants have given more than 2,000 hours, donating almost $55,000 in volunteer time.  This year's projects will allow over 1,500 youth to participate which equates to a donation of $70,000 in volunteer time! 

Volunteer Fairfax is building a better community through service.  As a respected leader of community volunteerism for more than 37 years, Volunteer Fairfax connects individuals, groups, and corporations to volunteer opportunities in the Fairfax County area. Volunteer Fairfax is supported by the following premier sponsors: Exxon Mobil Corporation and Northrop Grumman Corporation. Find us online at www.volunteerfairfax.org.

Celebrating 25 years of youth changing the world, YSA (Youth Service America) improves communities by increasing the number and diversity of young people serving in substantive roles. Through campaigns such as Global Youth Service Day and Semester of Service; YSA Grants and awards programs; and resources and training opportunities, YSA activates millions of young people each year. Working with—and on behalf of—youth, adult mentors, organizations and schools, YSA promotes a global culture of engaged youth committed to a lifetime of community action, learning, leadership, and achievement. www.YSA.org and www.GYSD.org.

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