On September 6, Class 19 began its AmeriCorps year of adventure. These 30 dedicated and amazing professionals are working with nonprofits across Maryland, recruiting thousands of local volunteers, and, hopefully, having a great time.

Check out our current Service Sites and Volunteer Maryland Coordinators.

This year, Volunteer Maryland is proud to be working with Sharon Groves, Volunteer Maryland Coordinator, and the Center for Children, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse and the promotion of mental health. The Center for Children is the largest provider of mental health services in southern Maryland and has served over 30,000 children and families since its inception in 1989.

Sharon is particularly excited about working with the Center for Children's Friends Indeed Mentoring Program. Friends Indeed serves youth in Charles and Prince George’s Counties who are between the ages of four and 15 and who have a parent in prison or under court supervision.

One on-going challenge for volunteer coordinators in nonprofit organizations is the delivery of effective orientations for new (or existing) volunteers. This situation may be magnified in nonprofits that engage volunteers in a variety of positions requiring different levels of skill and knowledge.

Find out how Andrea Rackowski, Volunteer Maryland Coordinator at Govans Ecumenical Development Corporation, tackled this management challenge during her AmeriCorps service year.