Stories

VOADV recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of Centerton Village, their newest affordable housing community located on Centerton Road in Mount Laurel. A group of local elected officials joined representatives from VOADV and project partners to mark the completion of their newest affordable housing community in the region. Centerton Village is a 103-unit affordable housing community at the intersection of Centerton Road and Marne Highway. Housed in two four-story buildings are beautifully designed income-restricted apartments, featuring full kitchens, living and dining areas, full baths, large bedrooms and energy efficient appliances. The community also features a variety of…

This past month we launched our newest Navigational Resource Center to provide residents of Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties with a variety of direct, essential social services. Through a partnership with Hopeloft, our Tri-County Navigational Resource Center will provide greater access to critical social services for vulnerable populations that were previously underserved or forced to travel to neighboring counties for similar services. “With this new, centralized office location in Bridgeton, residents in need of services have a local resource to access the personalized support and professional guidance they require,” said Amanda Leese, SVP of Safe Return/Navigator Programs for VOADV. “By strategically…

During the past year, Volunteers of America Delaware Valley witnessed firsthand the many challenges and struggles facing mothers and families. VOADV client Latasha Kendrick is one example. As a single mother of three, Ms. Kendrick was forced to choose between maintaining a job she loves and caring for her children when they transitioned to remote learning once the pandemic hit. However, despite the hardships, we’ve also seen incredible strength, perseverance and extraordinary dedication as individuals tackled the pandemic head-on. VOADV operates three shelters specifically designed for women, families and children – Anna Sample Complex in Camden County, Eleanor Corbett House in Gloucester County and Agape House in Somerset…

Since the inception of Volunteers of America 125 years ago, our mission has been to go wherever is needed and do whatever is needed to serve. Keeping that promise throughout decades of history has required a singular focus – the people that we serve. Our dedication to caring for the most vulnerable is clearly defined in VOA’s mission statement that declares that our success is measured in the positive change in the lives of individuals and communities we serve. But who is helping to make that change? How are so many lives impacted? Volunteers of America Delaware Valley relies on…

VOADV has 40 high quality outcome-driven programs providing essential services across the Delaware Valley. However, for an organization founded on the ideal of going wherever is needed and doing whatever is needed to serve, expansions and partnerships are crucial to helping us provide diverse programs and specialized assistance to our communities’ most vulnerable populations. Through collaborations with other organizations, agencies, law enforcement and more, we are able to identify needs for services as they arise in the community, and work together with our partners to develop a plan to assist. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to exacerbate the opioid epidemic…

125 years ago, the United States was a very different place. The year was 1896. Utah had just been admitted as the 45th U.S. state. William McKinley would win the year’s Presidential election. The Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson was in full swing, defining “separate but equal” to uphold racial segregation. The Dow Jones stock market index and the first ever Ford vehicle were both created. In the midst of these monumental events in our nation’s history, on March 8, 1896 in the Great Hall of New York’s Coopers Union, Volunteers of America was founded by a fearless husband and wife duo,…

Volunteers of America has a lot to celebrate in March – the organization turned 125 years old on March 8 and Women’s History Month showcases our co-founder Maud Booth’s inspiring work as a social reform pioneer. Even before women were allowed to vote, Maud was actively shaping attitudes on social justice, advocating for the rights of vulnerable members of society, and setting the example for future women as leader of one of the nation’s largest charitable organizations. The women of Volunteers of America Delaware Valley continue to exemplify that legacy 125 years later as they serve their clients with passion…

For many individuals returning to society after incarceration, the “home” they left behind is now an unknown, unfamiliar place. These individuals are faced with a number of challenges upon release – securing stable housing, acquiring employment, obtaining education and/or legal assistance, reuniting with family members and even procuring identification. To ensure success and a real second chance at life, these individuals are in desperate need of guidance, stability and accountability. Providing that valuable assistance and much-needed guidance is what VOADV’s Safe Return program is all about. Safe Return is an innovative reentry program created in 2015 by VOADV to ensure that no inmate…

2020 has been a year unlike any other. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone has had to adjust to a new way of living between cancelled events, social distancing protocol and working from home. At VOADV, one positive we have witnessed firsthand during this very different, difficult year is the way it has brought people together and inspired them to give back. At the New Albany School in Cinnaminson, students and educators took the initiative to give to those in need all while facing the challenges of an atypical school year and transitioning to hybrid learning. Organized by the Library…

People of color are significantly more likely to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, whether it is by loss of income or housing, hospitalization or even death. When 16 year old Monica Thomas, from Sicklerville, NJ, became aware of this, she knew she had to do something to help. While all of us have witnessed the brutal impact of the pandemic throughout the past year, Monica hears stories from the frontlines each day – both of her parents are physician’s assistants and her sister is an ICU nurse. They all have been coming home with heartbreaking stories of the realities of this…