As a volunteer with AFOI you are taking part in a creative and direct approach to serving families in need.
Volunteer Information
Welcome to Assisting Families of Inmates - Virginia’s program serving families of prisoners, one of only a few such programs in the country. As a volunteer with AFOI you are taking part in a creative and direct approach to serving families in need. You are helping to keep families together by making it possible for them to visit loved ones in remote, rural prisons. You are also helping our community to prevent crime and lower recidivism rates. Individuals in prison eventually return to the community and statistics show that those who have received regular, supportive visits, while in prison, are less likely to re-enter the criminal justice system once they are released.
Volunteers provide many of AFOI’s services. Your contributions are needed in the following areas:
- Helping with Saturday morning bus registrations.
- Helping with the Saturday and Sunday video visits.
- Preparing meals on Saturday afternoons for the families when they return from their trips.
- Coordinating activities for the children on Saturday mornings.
- Chaperoning children, to both the Virginia Correctional Center for Women and Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women, who may not otherwise have an opportunity to maintain their mother/child relationship.
- Organizing fundraising events.
- Composing and editing our agency newsletter.
- Coordinating and leading family support group discussions.
Volunteer Philosophy
Volunteers are an integral part of our team. Without them, we would be unable to offer the outstanding quality of services and programs that we strive to provide to our client families. You will be joining over 125 other volunteers who come from all over Richmond, and the surrounding areas, to contribute in some way to meaningful services for these families. Our volunteers become involved with AFOI through churches, civic groups, fraternal organizations, jobs and friends. The contribution of your time is greatly appreciated and valued. Please let us know about any questions or suggestions that you may have. Your comments are always welcome and will help us continue to improve our programs and services.
We need your help to continue this valuable work. In addition to financial contributions we also welcome volunteers who can donate a few hours per month and organizations and/or businesses who can adopt families during the holiday seasons (Thanksgiving and Christmas). Families involved in our Milk and Cookies Children’s Program appreciate donations of school supplies for their elementary school-aged children.
For more information on how you can help Assisting Families of Inmates please contact us.