AOL Lends A Helping Hand At SERVE

More than 800 local AOL employees celebrated the company’s 26th birthday on Friday with a day of service to benefit multiple charities across Northern Virginia and Washington, DC.

Developed in partnership with Volunteer Fairfax, Aol-ers will help with everything from making care packages for military personnel and creating therapeutic hats for hospitalized children to beautifying area parks and providing landscaping and repair services to facilities for seniors and needy families.

Some of the groups that will benefit include:  AOL Military Support Group (Dulles, VA On-Site at AOL Campus); American Cancer Society (Vienna, VA);  Claude Moore Park (Sterling, VA);l Glories Happy Hats (Service Project On-Site at AOL Campus);  Graydon Manor (Leesburg, VA);  Lake Anne Fellowship House (Reston, VA)March of Dimes (Service Project On-Site at AOL Campus); Volunteer Fairfax (Fairfax, VA);  Food and Friends (Washington, DC);; Town of Herndon (Herndon, VA)

One of the largest efforts took place in , where nearly 50 volunteers helped reorganize and clean the Food Distribution Center, as well as paint the entryway, hallways and doors in both the FDC and main administrative building. AOL also donated and installed new computer equipment at the facility.  

SERVE is a Manassas-based community organization, located on Dean Drive in the City of Manassas that offers transitional housing, emergency assistance and life skills education for individuals and families in need.

The group of AOL employees seemed to be having a fun time and enjoying the beautiful weather. One small group even dubbed themselves the 'Fantastik Four Cleaners' after working tirelessly to clean an outdoor play area, toys and high chairs used by Head Start children.

This is the second year AOL Monster Help has given back at SERVE.

 “I came last year…it was a great takeaway for me, so I really wanted to come back,” said Al Neilsen with AOL.

In fact, some AOL-ers, who live in Manassas-area, enjoyed last year's Monster Help day at SERVE  so much they didn’t just limit their helping hand to just one day.  A small group of four to five Manassas-based AOL employees continued to visit the center on Friday afternoons for about four hours to help out with sorting food in the distribution center to be handed out to those in need.

AOL provided lunch for company volunteers and supports the giving back initiative so much that they allow employees three days a year to push back from their desk and get a little paint on their hands for the good of the community.