Celebrating Milestone Volunteers: 15, 10 & 5 Years of Service

April 21, 2025

April is National Volunteer Month — a time to recognize the incredible individuals who give their time to support our communities.

In 2024, more than 1,300 volunteers donated over 12,300 hours to Affordable Homes & Communities, helping with food distribution, tutoring, mentorship, community events, and more. We're grateful to have them join us in keeping residents at the heart.

This month, we’re excited to highlight some of our 15-, 10-, and 5-year volunteers. We asked them to share their favorite part about volunteering with AHC — read their responses below and help us celebrate the incredible impact of our volunteer community.

15-Year Volunteers

Hanh Nguyen

“One of my favorite things about volunteering at AHC is running into old coworkers. After 30 years working for this organization, the people feel like a second family and it brightens my day to catch up with them.

Another thing I love about volunteering at the same place for so many years is when I see the families grow. I've watched little kids who accompany their parents grow up and graduate high school and visit from college. It’s really a joy to see these kids grow up. ”

Bernie Piper

“I’ve worked with one young man, Seid, over the past nine years, and I like to say that we’ve grown up together. Before meeting him, I had already spent several years volunteering in the Afterschool program, working with different children. However, after he entered middle school, I transitioned with him to the Teen Tutoring program, and later, we moved into the College and Career Readiness program, where I served as his mentor.

Recently, he was accepted into George Mason University to study healthcare management. Our journey together has left an unforgettable mark on my life — one that I hope will continue for years to come."

Alison Sheahan

“My specific example and thrill has been knowing at least three students now who began in kindergarten with AHC afterschool programs and who not only graduated from high school but have gone on to attend colleges and universities. I also love watching those I knew as elementary kids come back to volunteer as program assistants during their high school years.

Finally, I love that several of your properties have welcomed the Master Naturalist volunteers with our 'Outdoor Explorer' programs, helping children experience the nature they find outside their doors and feeding their emerging scientific curiosity while having lots of fun.”

Terron Sims

“I like being an advocate for the students —being a positive influence, helping them take care of themselves in other situations.

Volunteering with the teens at Harvey Hall brings me more joy than any other volunteer role. If kids aren’t raised to be good citizens, our other work/progress in the world is for naught. I see AHC’s programs as helping grow future leaders, which is the greatest service we can provide.”

10-Year Volunteers

Kate Athing

Marymount Women's Lacrosse Coach

“My favorite part about volunteering at AHC is seeing the impact the students make on my student athletes. The connections and fun they have together is awesome to watch. I know we are the ones doing the service, but what the students bring to our experience as a program is beyond valuable.”

Tim Bellaire

“My favorite part of volunteering with AHC is knowing that my efforts are making a difference in young students' lives. Since I began tutoring, this was the first year I had students taking Calculus classes. Knowing that I had given them a good foundation in mathematics, and through their own hard work, it was a great pleasure to watch them excel in an otherwise difficult subject.”

Marjorie Macieira

“I love the KIDS — seeing them grow and develop and explore their potential. Of course, I also really appreciate the staff who keep the program running so smoothly for us and who take time to make us feel welcome.

Seeing three young people with whom I had a tutoring relationship graduate from high school (and one now from college with a Master's degree) was simply extraordinary, especially since some of them didn't always have the support elsewhere to help them see their full potential. ”

Ty Mitchell

“My favorite part is walking in the door and not knowing with whom I am going to work — depending on what the need is any given year, month, or week — but knowing that it will be good and that the student and I will figure out a way for me to help.

I learned a long time ago to satisfy myself with the following simple but firm hope:

Someday, somewhere, in some situation, one of the young folks I have mentored will be older and will be faced with a decision that will have consequences for their life — or for the lives of others — and I hope that I had enough influence when I spent time with them earlier on to have been able to sway their decision just enough to help sway it in the right direction.”

5-Year Volunteer

Cindy Santer

“My favorite part is being able to provide the support and guidance to students who don’t have the family resources to provide such assistance.

The long-term relationships that I have with these two students has been a real bonus.

Both of them have reached out on several occasions with 'life decisions.' Being their sounding board has been rewarding for all of us. Topics have included buying a car, internship decisions, and college academic guidance. They are both at Virginia Tech."