Off-site Volunteer Opportunities

By completing one of our off-site volunteer opportunities, you are providing essential items to those we serve and demonstrating that these individuals and families are supported by their neighbors. We know firsthand that generosity helps transform communities, and through service and volunteerism, people learn more about their communities and themselves.

We have five off-site volunteer opportunities that can be completed as an individual or as a group:

1. Make Snack Packs
2. Make Bagged Meals
3. Catering for the Embry Rucker Community Shelter
4. Build a Kit (Hygiene, Seasonal, Welcome Home)
5. Host a Drive

Please note the following:

• You or your group will be responsible for the purchase of supplies and creation of whichever off-site volunteer option you choose.
• When you deliver your donation, please ask for a donation form. We will provide you a copy for your tax records and use the original to demonstrate community support for our programs.
• Please refrain from providing personally identifiable information or contact details (e.g. phone number, address, email, etc.) on any physical part of your donation.
• We are unable to offer donation pick-up services. If you need assistance or have any questions about delivery, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
• Off-site volunteer opportunities may not be used to fulfill a court-ordered (or attorney-advised) community service requirement.

If you are looking for volunteer activities that can be done at home, school, or as an off-site group opportunity at a location of your choice, click the "Next" button to learn more!

Revised 8/22/25

Make 25 snack packs for adults at the Embry Rucker Community Shelter. Please note that we don't have refrigeration space for the snack packs so please only pack things that will be fine at room temperature for 2-3 days. The estimated cost of this opportunity is $250-$400, depending upon your selections. Please see below for snack pack content information.
Snack Pack Content Suggestions (pick one or more from each category)
Fruit	Snack	Drink
Fruit in a cup	Granola bar	Juice box
Raisins	Crackers	Bottle of water
	Chips
Delivery Deliver food donations to the Embry Rucker Community Shelter, 11975 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston, VA 20190. Go to the back door of the shelter (through the parking lot and to the right). Please knock on the kitchen door or call (703) 437-1975 to ensure that the food is brought in. If you are providing 200+ snack packs, donations must be delivered to our FREE from Hunger Center warehouse at 22560 Glenn Drive, Unit 105, Sterling, VA 20164. You are welcome to drop the snack packs off at the shelter any time between 5 PM the evening before the arranged date and noon of the arranged date. When you deliver your donation, please complete a donation form. We will provide you a copy for your tax records and use the original to demonstrate support for our programs. While this is a wonderful opportunity for the whole family, please do not bring children under 18 years old to the shelter when you drop off your donation.

Please contact the Volunteer and Community Engagement team at volunteer@cornerstonesva.org to coordinate your donation drop-off.

This off-site opportunity is eligible for 3 volunteer hours for the first set of 25 snack packs. An additional 3 hours will be awarded for each additional set of 25 snack packs.

If you are a student completing this opportunity for school community service, please note this when reaching out so the Volunteer and Community Engagement team can track your hours accurately.

Drop off 30 or 60 prepared bagged meals at the Embry Rucker Community Shelter where they will be distributed by staff. This opportunity works well for large or small groups.

The Embry Rucker Community Shelter distributes approximately 60 meals to residents and drop-in clients each day. Meals are distributed on an on-going basis as residents and clients request them.

Please see below for meal content information.

Each Bagged Meal Should Consist of the Following:

• 2 sandwiches generously filled with deli meat and cheese (please no pork-based sandwiches or vegetables/condiments directly on the sandwiches). Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are also welcome!
• 1 fruit in a cup or fresh fruit (please no apples or bananas).
• 1 HEALTHY snack (e.g.: chewy granola bars, sunflower seeds, trail mix, or string cheese).
• 1 plastic utensil (if needed) and a napkin.
• Two 16-ounce bottled waters OR 2 box drinks & one 16-ounce bottled water.

Preparing Meals for Delivery:

• Place fruit or fruit cup, snack, utensil, and napkin in each paper bag.
• Pack sandwiches in a separate container (box or bag) for refrigeration. Sandwiches should be provided separately, wrapped in individual bags, with both the date of preparation and the “use by date” of 5 days from the date of preparation marked on the outside of each bag and the contents of the sandwich indicated.
• Beverages can be provided in original containers for refrigeration.

Helpful Tips:

• While you will create 60 bagged meals, each meal has 2 sandwiches for a total of 120 sandwiches. If you create 30 bagged meals, each meal has 2 sandwiches for a total of 60 sandwiches.
• Not all bagged meals need to be identical.
• Bottled water should be provided separately from the bagged meals, to reduce tearing of lunch bags due to heavy water bottles.
• NOTE: During Summer Months, any extra bottled waters that can be supplied are greatly appreciated. We have a much higher demand for bottled water during this time

Safety Tips:

• Wash your hands, wear gloves, and cover your hair.
• Review the U.S.D.A.’s safe food handling guide.
• Never leave perishable food at room temperature for more than two hours or for one hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees.
• Cornerstones reserves the right to discard donated foods that do not meet our
  guidelines.

Delivery:

• Deliver ALL above food donations to the Embry Rucker Community Shelter, 11975 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston, VA 20190. Deliver food to the back door of the shelter (through the parking lot and to the right). Please knock on the kitchen door or call (703) 437-1975 to ensure that the food is brought in.
• You are welcome to drop the meals off at the shelter any time between 5 PM the evening before the scheduled date and noon of the scheduled date.
• When you deliver your donation, please complete a donation form. We will provide you a copy for your tax records and use the original to demonstrate support for our programs.
• While this is a wonderful opportunity for the whole family, please do not bring children under 18 years old to the shelter when you drop off your bagged meals at the shelter.

Please contact the Volunteer and Community Engagement team at development@cornerstonesva.org to coordinate your donation drop-off.

This off-site opportunity is eligible for 5 volunteer hours for 60 meals and 3 volunteer hours for 30 meals.

If you are a student completing this opportunity for school community service, please note this when reaching out so the Volunteer and Community Engagement team can track your hours accurately.

Provide a meal for our clients at the Embry Rucker Community Shelter. Options include breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Consider catering with a local restaurant and support two causes at once!

Due to the amount of people served at the shelter, we need large portions of food. If your menu contains pork, please provide a pork-free option.

• Breakfast: Food for 80 people
• Lunch: Food for 100 people
• Dinner: Food for 130 people

Meals
You are welcome to drop the meals off or you can help serve. Please note that there is a maximum of 4 servers allowed.

Breakfast
Please include milk, fruit, bread, juice, and a protein.

• Arrival times
  • Monday - Friday: 5:45 a.m. for unprepared food
  • Monday - Friday: 6:15 a.m. if food is ready to serve
  • Saturday - Sunday: 6:45 a.m. for unprepared food
  • Saturday - Sunday: 7:15 a.m. if food is ready to serve
• Serving times
  • Monday - Friday: 6:45 a.m.
  • Saturday - Sunday: 7:45 a.m.

Lunch
Please include milk, fruit, bread, a vegetable, a protein, and a dessert.

• Arrival times
  • Monday - Sunday: 10:30 a.m. for unprepared food
  • Monday - Sunday: 11:30 a.m. if food is ready to serve
• Serving time
  • Monday - Sunday: 11:45 a.m.

Dinner
Please include milk, fruit, bread, a vegetable, a protein, and dessert. A filling, hearty meal is preferred. Examples include lasagne, tacos, etc. Pizza is not a preferred option.

• Arrival times
  • Monday - Sunday: 3:30 p.m. for unprepared food
  • Monday - Sunday: 4:30 p.m. if food is ready to serve
• Serving time
  • Monday - Sunday: 4:45 p.m.

Food Options

• Bread options: bread, cornbread, biscuits, rolls, muffins, cereal (cold or dry).
• Protein/Meat options: beef, chicken, poultry, fish, eggs, beans. If you choose pork as your protein, please provide a non-pork option.
• Dessert options: fruit-based desserts, brownies, pies, cake.
• Please keep sugar and salt to a minimum.
• We encourage the use of whole grains, dark green vegetables (fresh or frozen) such as spinach or broccoli, fresh (not canned) citrus fruits such as oranges and tangerines, and lean baked meats without skin such as chicken or fish.

Information for Delivery Day

• Deliver ALL above food donations to the Embry Rucker Community Shelter, 11975 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston, VA 20190. Deliver food to the back door of the shelter (through the parking lot and to the right). Please knock on the kitchen door or call (703) 437-1975 to ensure that the food is brought in.
• When you deliver your donation, please complete a donation form. We will provide you a copy for your tax records and use the original to demonstrate support for our programs.
• While this is a wonderful opportunity for the whole family, please do not bring children under 18 years old to the shelter when you drop off your donation.

Please contact the Volunteer and Community Engagement team at development@cornerstonesva.org to coordinate your donation drop-off.

This off-site opportunity is eligible for 2 volunteer hours for preparing and delivering the meal. If you choose to stay on-site to serve, the time spent at the shelter will be counted as additional volunteer hours. Please note that volunteers must be 18 years of age or older to help on-site at the Embry Rucker Community Shelter.

If you are a student completing this opportunity for school community service, please note this when reaching out so the Volunteer and Community Engagement team can track your hours accurately.

Build one of the kits below or build several kits! Please note that one of each item under each kit name creates a complete kit. For the Welcome Home Kit, items can be placed in a laundry basket or trash can. For the hygiene kits, any size is appreciated, including travel.
Seasonal Kit - Winter Care (Nov - April)	Welcome Home Kit	Hygiene Kit
Hand warmers	Broom (with dustpan)	Deodorant
Emergency mylar blanket	Mop (with bucket)	Shampoo
Winter hat	Clothes hangers	Toothpaste
Heavy Winter gloves	Dish soap	Shaving cream
Chapstick	Laundry detergent	Disposable razor
	Kitchen trash bags (13 gallon size)	Lip balm
Seasonal Kit - Summer Care (May - Oct)	Paper towels	Body soap
Sunscreen	Shower curtain (with hooks)	Hand soap
Insect repellent	Cleaning spray	Lotion
Deodorant	Glass cleaner	Toothbrush
Chapstick	Sponges	Washcloth
	Additional items if possible: Pots, pans, plates, cups, utensils	Additional item if possible: Bath sheet/bath towel

Please contact the Volunteer and Community Engagement team at volunteer@cornerstonesva.org to coordinate your donation drop-off.

The creation of seasonal and hygiene kits is eligible for 3 volunteer hours for the first set of 25 kits, with an additional 3 hours awarded for each additional set of 25 kits. The creation of welcome home kits is eligible for 3 volunteer hours for the first set of 8 kits, with an additional 3 hours awarded for each additional set of 8 kits.

If you are a student completing this opportunity for school community service, please note this when reaching out so the Volunteer and Community Engagement team can track your hours accurately.

Please contact Volunteer and Community Engagement team at volunteer@cornerstonesva.org to discuss our greatest needs at the moment (e.g. bedding, breakfast food, hot beverages, towels, socks, feminine products, etc.).

If you are a student using this off-site volunteer opportunity to fulfill a school community service requirement, please note that it is eligible for 3 volunteer hours. Be sure to mention that you are completing this for school community service when contacting the Volunteer and Community Engagement team.

 

Thank you for your interest in helping neighbors in our community!