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Arlington Cares

Arlington Cares logo on blue starburst background

A Celebration of Volunteerism

Volunteer Arlington honors and recognizes individuals and groups who make a difference through volunteering at its annual Arlington Cares event. The event celebrates annual award winners and people who have spent 100 hours or more volunteering for an individual organization in the previous year.

2026 Arlington Cares

Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Time: 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Location: George Mason University, Mason Square, 3551 Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA 22201

Nomination and Award Timeline

  • Tuesday, February 24: Nominations open. See award descriptions below.
  • Thursday, August 13 at 5:00 p.m.: Nomination deadline.
  • late August: Nominators and award winners contacted.
  • Monday, September 14: Deadline for nonprofit and Arlington County partners to submit names of volunteers who have served 100+ hours during the previous year. Download submission template.
  • October 13, 2026: Awards presented at Arlington Cares: A Celebration of Volunteerism. Join us!

Award Categories

The Community Awards include the following categories:

  • Lifetime of Service Award: This award recognizes and celebrates an individual for whom volunteerism and service to others is a part of the fabric of their being. Whether through their organized volunteer work or through their pattern of consistently thinking of and acting on other needs before their own, this person’s life is an example of a life lived for their community.
  • Distinguished County Service Award: Given to an individual or group who, through volunteerism, have shown outstanding commitment and care to the citizens of Arlington.
  • Distinguished Corporate Service Award: Given to a private, Arlington business or corporation, or an employee volunteer group thereof, that through volunteerism, has shown outstanding commitment and care to the citizens of Arlington.
  • Family or Group Volunteer Service Award: Given to a family or group who has made caring and volunteerism core values and whose work has included all ages in making a difference in Arlington.
  • Youth Volunteer Service Award (18 or Under): Given to a youth who has chosen to go above and beyond service hour requirements. This award celebrates initiative, finding a passionate cause, and creating a way to make a significant impact in the lives of those other than oneself.

 

The Volunteer Arlington Partner Award recognizes an exceptional Volunteer Coordinator, paid or unpaid, who has exceeded the organization’s requirements for volunteer and civic engagement.

2025 Volunteer Award Winners

  • Lifetime of Service Award: Dr. Carylynn Larson, Rock Recovery
  • Distinguished County Service Award:
    • Kellen MacBeth, Arlington County Housing Commission, Equality Arlington, NAACP
    • Benjamin Sessions, Clothesline for Arlington Kids
  • Distinguished Corporate Service Award: VHC Health, PathForward
  • Group Service Award: Hospice Flower Team, Capital Caring Health
  • Youth Service Award: Maddy Sleeter, Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail
  • Volunteer Arlington Award: Erika Yalowitz, RISE Mentoring

 

Read press release

100 Hours of Service

The following individuals or groups were recognized at the Arlington Cares event for having volunteered more than 100 hours with their particular organizations, between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025.

2024 Arlington Cares

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate volunteerism at our annual Arlington Cares event on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

2024 Volunteer Award Winners

  • Lifetime of Service Award: Sue MacLane, Arlington County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
  • Distinguished County Service Award: Jim Dooley, Arlington Addiction Recovery Initiative (Narcan training)
  • Distinguished Corporate Service Award: Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company
  • Racial Equity Award: Arlington County VICAP, Virginia’s Insurance Counseling & Assistance Program
  • Family or Group Volunteer Service Award: St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, PathForward
  • Youth Volunteer Service Award: Aliyah Majeed-Hall, AHC

Read press release

100 Hours of Service

The following individuals or groups were recognized at the Arlington Cares event for having volunteered more than 100 hours with their particular organizations, between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024.

2023 Arlington Cares

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate volunteerism at our annual Arlington Cares event on Thursday, July 13, 2023.

2023 Volunteer Award Winners

  • Lifetime of Service Award: Carol Skelly, Developmental Disabilities Committee, Arlington Community Services Board
  • Distinguished County Service Award: Andrea Walker, Arlington Commission on Aging and Us Bus Inter-generational Walking School Bus
  • Distinguished Corporate Service Award: Bayou Bakery, Chef David Guas
  • RSVP Award: Kristen Pollard, Rebuilding Together Arlington/Fairfax/Falls Church
  • Family Service Award: The McPherson-Holland Family, Encore Stage and Studio
  • Youth Service Award: Avery Park, Doorways
  • Volunteer Arlington Award: Mary Highsmith, The Shepherd’s Center of McLean-Arlington-Falls Church

Read press release

100 Hours of Service

The following individuals or groups were recognized at the Arlington Cares event for having volunteered more than 100 hours with their particular organizations, between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023.

2022 Arlington Cares Celebration

On Tuesday, July 12, 2022, Volunteer Arlington celebrated the 2022 Community Volunteer Award winners along with people who have spent 100 hours or more volunteering for an individual organization between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022.

Watch the recording of the celebration:

2022 Volunteer Award Winners

  • Volunteer Arlington Award: Les Garrison, CERT 
  • Racial Equity Civic Engagement Award: Julius D. Spain, Sr., NAACP, Arlington Branch ​ 
  • Group Service Award: John and Adrienne Scribner, Boy Scout Troop 106
  • RSVP Award: Patricia Hupalo, Rebuilding Together
  • Distinguished Corporate Service Award: AvalonBay Communities, Inc. with APAH
  • Distinguished County Service Awards:
    • Robin Norman Depaoli, National Capital Treatment and Recovery
    • Arlington Neighborhood Village volunteer group
  • Lifetime of Service Award: Meg Tuccillo, PathForward

Read press release

2021 Arlington Cares Celebration

This free, virtual event recognized Community Service Award Winners and reminded us of the importance of serving others, especially in the midst of a pandemic. Thank you to those who joined us for a heartwarming opportunity for all ages to celebrate the overwhelming goodness that is within our community.

Watch the recording of the celebration:

2021 Volunteer Award Winners

  • Volunteer Arlington Award: Arlington CERT, Kate Nadeau (Arlington Free Clinic), MRC Volunteers
  • Youth Service Award: Ameerah Chaudry
  • Group Service Award: Arlington Mill Food Distribution (Anabel Cruz Zelaya, Mohamed Qazi, Trang A. Phan)
  • RSVP Award: Bill Marshall
  • Distinguished Corporate Service Award: Accenture
  • Distinguished County Service Awards: Bernard Piper, Kelly A. Thompson
  • Lifetime of Service Award: Mark Riley

​Questions about the awards? Please contact info@volunteerarlington.org.