The Volunteer Center recognizes the value of empathy and service to others, and we have been “at the heart of helping” for more than 50 years, referring thousands of volunteers to both traditional and court-referred service opportunities. The heart of our mission lies in knowing the most urgent, local needs. We discover this by regularly listening to the members of our community. When we discover a critical need is going unmet, we lead the response by assembling a team of caring, talented volunteers to create signature programs, such as Operation Teddy Bear and Food For Kids, which offer members of our community the opportunity to contribute to the solution. Learn more about our new Youth Mental Health focus and how we're tackling this critical community need at www.volcenter.org/youth-mental-health.