As residents of the greater Richmond area, it is our duty to give back. Community service exposes students to a diverse population, allowing them to understand the social, economic and cultural factors that influence the health of our patients. This broader perspective enables them to provide more holistic and patient-centered care.
We encourage all students to get involved, and first-year students require at least 20 community service hours in conjunction with the Patient, Physician and Society course. Students may volunteer with any organizations they wish, with opportunities including (and not limited to) the organizations below.
For more information about volunteering as a medical student, please contact:
Lelia Brinegar, Ed.D.
Assistant Dean for Medical Education
lelia.brinegar@vcuhealth.org
Local Organizations
- American Red Cross
- Volunteer opportunities include assisting with blood drives, fundraising and other activities.
- Contact: https://www.redcross.org/contact-us/general-inquiry.html
- Volunteer information: https://www.redcross.org/volunteer/become-a-volunteer.html
- Birth in Color
- Birth in Color is a Black women-led reproductive justice organization. It offers opportunities to volunteer with doula services, lactation services, assemble postpartum subscription boxes for families and advocacy.
- Contact: https://www.birthincolorrva.org/contact-us
- Volunteer information: https://www.birthincolorrva.org/volunteer
- Car Fit
- Car Fit is an organization dedicated to increasing road safety through education to older drivers and promoting conversations about driver safety and community mobility.
- General contact: https://car-fit.org/contact-us
- Volunteer information: https://car-fit.org/find-a-training
- Caritas
- Caritas is a Catholic-based organization that serves the homeless population of Richmond, including free health screenings to individuals in emergency shelter services.
- General contact and volunteer form: https://www.caritas.org/get-involved/
- CFengage (Hands On Richmond)
- CFengage is an online resource for a variety of volunteer opportunities in the Greater Richmond Area.
- Commonwealth Catholic Charities
- With locations across Virginia, and several in Richmond, CCC offers services through affordable housing development, baby clothes closets, adoption and foster care, street outreach, supportive housing, immigration and interpret services and more.
- General contact: cccofva.org
- Volunteer information: cccofva.org/volunteer
- CrossOver Clinic
- CrossOver Clinic is a Christian non-profit organization that provides high-quality, compassionate healthcare to uninsured and Medicaid patients.
- General contact: info@crossover.org
- Volunteer information: https://www.crossoverministry.org/volunteers/
- The Doorways
- The Doorways provides temporary lodging to patients and families that need to stay close to the hospital. Volunteer opportunity includes providing home cooked meals to guests staying at the facility.
- General contact: https://www.thedoorways.org/contact-us/
- Volunteer information: volunteer@thedoorways.org
- Emmaus Lunch Program through St. Paul's Episcopal Church
- St. Paul's Episcopal Church's weekly Emmaus Lunch Program provides free lunch to over 150 guests in Downtown Richmond every Thursday.
- General contact: stpauls@stpaulsrva.org
- Farm to Family
- Farm to Family is a sustainable agricultural organization providing educational resources and fresh produce delivery. Volunteer opportunities include assisting with food pickups, administrative duties and farm maintenance.
- General contact: farmtofamilyinfo@gmail.com
- Volunteer information: https://www.thefarmbus.com/?page_id=41
- Feed More
- Feed More is an organization addressing food insecurity in central Virginia. Volunteer opportunities include meal preparation, packing and unloading supplies and working with Meals on Wheels.
- General contact: info@FeedMore.org
- Volunteer information: https://feedmore.org/get-involved/individuals/volunteer/
- First Tee of Greater Richmond
- First Tee teaches life lessons and leadership through golf to youth ages 5-18. Volunteer through coaching, fundraising and tutoring.
- Volunteer information: https://firstteegreaterrichmond.org/coach-volunteer/
- Jacob's Chance
- Jacob's Chance promotes overall wellness through sports, health and fitness education, and social interaction for individuals with intellectual and physical challenges. Volunteer through coaching in one of their many enrichment programs.
- General contact: https://www.jacobschance.org
- Volunteer information: https://www.jacobschance.org/volunteer
- LiftPD
- LiftPD offers free small exercise classes of all levels to those within the Parkinson's Disease community. Volunteers assist athletes throughout their workout.
- General contact: Info@liftpd.org
- Volunteer information: https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=28463133
- Lobs and Lessons
- Lobs and Lessons is a youth enrichment program that promotes academic success and a pathway to higher education through tennis. Volunteers assist with after-school programming and tennis lessons.
- General contact: rhoneyrb@vcu.edu
- Volunteer information: https://community.vcu.edu/mfyc/about-mfyc/volunteer/
- Mattaponi Clinic
- The Mattaponi Healing Eagle Clinic provides free healthcare and medication every month to the uninsured, underserved Mattaponi tribe in West Point, VA.
- General contact: mheclinic@gmail.com
- Refugee Connect
- Refugee Connect raises awareness of the health needs of refugee communities and connects VCU students with volunteer opportunities.
- General contact and volunteer information: refugeeconnect.vcu@gmail.com
- Shalom Farms
- Shalom Farms is a nonprofit farm and food justice organization distributing fresh produce across the city. Volunteer opportunities include planting, harvesting, weeding and field preparation.
- General contact: info@shalomfarms.org
- Volunteer information: https://shalomfarms.org/volunteer/
- The Simple Sunflower
- The Simple Sunflower repurposes flowers from vendors, weddings and other special events to distribute to hospitalized patients. Read a VCU News article about the organization.
- General contact: simplesunflower.rva@gmail.com
- Volunteer information: https://simplesunflower.org/get-involved-1
- Sportable
- Sportable is dedicated to making sports more accessible and inclusive to those with physical disabilities and visual impairments.
- General contact: info@sportable.org
- Volunteer information: https://sportable.org/volunteer/volunteer-opportunities/
- Trauma Survival Network
- The Trauma Survival Network connects students with patients and their families who have experienced recent trauma.
- General contact: TSN@vcuhealth.org
- Volunteer information: https://www.traumasurvivorsnetwork.org/pages/volunteer-for-the-tsn
- Village Green RVA
- Village Green RVA works with a variety of community partners to recognize that food accessibility is often intertwined with various social and economic factors. It offers volunteer opportunities to participate in the Kids Night In program, provide kitchen assistance such as food prep, preparing or serving meals as well as gathering produce from a local farm!
- General contact: villagegreenrva.org/contact
- Volunteer information: villagegreenrva.org/givehelp
- Virginia Clinicians for Climate Action
- VCCA clinicians provide credible, health-based perspectives on climate policy solutions. Volunteers engage in advocacy for comprehensive climate policy.
- General contact: info@virginiaclinicians.org
- Volunteer information: https://www.virginiaclinicians.org/advocacy
- Woodland Restoration Foundation
- Woodland Restoration Foundation offers volunteer opportunities to restore, maintain and preserve the Historic Evergreen Cemetery, one of the city's oldest African American cemeteries.
- General contact: https://www.woodlandrestorationfoundation.org
- Volunteer information: https://www.woodlandrestorationfoundation.org/get-involved