Loneliness and isolation can have serious effects on physical and mental health, but meaningful connections remain one of the most powerful tools we have to support healthy aging.
Our more than 250 volunteers help create a support system that enables more than 3,000 older adults to remain active participants in the communities they love across Oakton, Vienna, Dunn Loring, Reston, Herndon, Great Falls, Merrifield, and parts of Fairfax. Since our founding in 1998, volunteers have contributed more than 218,000 hours of service — an incredible reflection of compassion, commitment, and community care.
Using current national volunteer value estimates, SCNOVA’s 218,000 donated volunteer hours represent more than $5.5 million in service contributed directly back into the Northern Virginia community.
The true value of these hours is hard to measure solely in dollars. The value lies in the reassurance someone feels knowing a volunteer driver will arrive at their door to take them to the store or to their appointment. It lies in the trill of the phone when a friendly caller rings to say hello. It’s in the laughter shared over lunch after a class or event. No dollar amount can measure the value of friendships formed during walking club, Bingo night or Tai Chi classes, nor the relief caregivers feel when they realize they are not alone.
In today’s world, that kind of connection matters more than ever.
Social engagement plays a major role in healthy aging. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studies have shown that staying socially and physically active helps older adults maintain independence, improve quality of life, and reduce risks associated with aging. Volunteering is strongly linked to improved mental health, reduced loneliness, stronger cognitive health, and a greater sense of purpose among older adults, too!
The research proves that volunteering strengthens more than just communities — it supports the health and happiness of the volunteers themselves.
Research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that adults over 50 who volunteer regularly experience improved well-being, greater physical activity, and reduced feelings of loneliness and hopelessness. Other studies have linked volunteering with stronger cognitive health and even slower biological aging.
In many ways, volunteering creates a powerful cycle of connection: when older adults support one another, everyone benefits.
If you’re interested in learning more about our volunteer opportunities, please visit our Volunteer Opportunities page. Every hour volunteered helps build a stronger, kinder, more connected Northern Virginia.
To every SCNOVA volunteer — whether you drive, organize, call, host, walk, listen, lead, or simply show up with a smile — thank you. Your time changes lives, including your own.
Explore all of our health events and wellness programs here.