Volunteer

AAC Rides Program

    Agudas Achim Congregation is embarking on a new program for members unable to drive to medical appointments, to visit people in hospitals, shopping, and to attend services and other programs at AAC. AA Rides is a volunteer supported rides program so that more non driving adults 55+ will be able to get rides to medical appointments, make hospital visits, shopping, as well as attending services and programs at AAC.

    We are starting by first offering the drivers who signed up to drive last year and if necessary expanding the program to new drivers. It is the volunteer drivers who will make this program a success. For volunteers: The length of your commitment depends on your schedule. AA Rides provides volunteer drivers access to our ride scheduling software that lets you select your driving assignments, offering volunteers a flexible schedule. You can volunteer as little or as much as you like. NV Rides will pay for a required background and a DMV check for all volunteer drivers.

     Besides volunteer drivers we will also need a couple of volunteer coordinators. Sam Backman has already signed up to be lead coordinator. We need more than one so that the system will be covered when the lead is out of town the program will still work smoothly.

     The program will match member requests for rides with drivers. We are doing this by parterning with NV Rides to form the AAC rides program. Ride requests should be made as early as possible and at least 48 hours in advance in order to assure the best chance of being matched for a ride. The requests from the Client/Member request will be put in the AA Rides system and an e-mail will be sent to all drivers to respond. We are starting with medical rides because of an immediate need and will shortly expand the program to all rides within the next couple of months.

     Contact Assistant to the Clergy and Executive Director Erica Jacobs (703-998-6460) to schedule a ride. Contact Sam Backman to volunteer or if you have questions.

ALIVE Coordinator:          

     AAC is desperately seeking a new liaison(s) for ALIVE! The position and the amount of support given to ALIVE! varies greatly by the person who takes on this role. Contact Rachel Goldberg for more information. Below is a list of responsibilities:

• Operation Isaiah around the High Holidays — publicizing food collection, distributing flyers on Rosh Hashanah, organizing the collection on Yom Kippur,  coordinating with the ALIVE warehouse regarding packing and pick up, coorindate a lesson/activity with religious school or the community.
• Furniture collection once a year — getting volunteers to pick up and deliver used furniture, point of contact for the ALIVE furniture program.
• Periodically bring collected food donations from the coat room to the ALIVE warehouse on South Payne Street (next to the Agudas Achim cemetery).
• The ALIVE! congregational liaison becomes a board member for ALIVE and is invited to all ALIVE board meetings and receives notices from the organization for needs and opportunities.
• Publicize and create mitzvah opportunities to help ALIVE
• Good Deeds Day event with ALIVE!