Nonprofit Spotlight: The Doorways
April is Global Volunteer Month, which is a time to celebrate the contributions of volunteers as well as inspire volunteerism around the globe. We chatted with Alyssa Castronouvo, Volunteer Manager of The Doorways, to discuss how volunteers help drive the organization's mission forward.
What is The Doorways' mission?
At The Doorways our mission is to provide lodging and support for patients and their families who need to be close to area hospitals but not far from the feeling of "home."
How does your organization leverage volunteers?
Volunteers are the hands and feet of our mission and ensure our guests have a positive experience during their stay. Our volunteers do everything from providing our guests with a homecooked meal after a long day at the hospital, sorting away incoming food or toiletry donations, hosting support groups, and much more! As much as we rely on our volunteers to provide meals for our guests or keep our common spaces organized, our guests rely on our volunteers to provide a listening ear and friendly face during their stay. We are lucky to have some volunteers who have been supporting our mission every month for 20+ years, and others who volunteer on a weekly basis. No matter how big or small the project, or how new the volunteer is to The Doorways, our staff and our guests see the impact of our volunteers every day at The Doorways. 
What is your favorite thing about engaging volunteers?
Every time I orient a new volunteer I ask what brought them to The Doorways. Maybe their friend cooked a meal with their school club and told them all about it, or their family member previously stayed with us, everyone has their own unique reason for connecting to our mission. I love learning about why The Doorways resonates for people from all different backgrounds and areas of Virginia - I am constantly inspired by what motivates people to share their time and talents with us so generously!
Can you tell us about an impactful project that volunteers completed?
We have a number of VCU students who volunteer with us throughout the school year - many of them are looking to go to medical school or a healthcare-adjacent field. A student named Vishnu, who had been coming once a week to help us organize incoming donations, told us that she loved to paint in her free time. Our staff had been talking about adding murals throughout the building for our guests and I asked her if she wanted to paint one! It took a few weeks of planning and gathering the supplies, and now our 5th floor kitchen has a wonderful mural that our guests absolutely love! We always feel so grateful when our volunteers can share their passions with our guests.
Get Involved
Throughout April, lend your time, talent and passion towards making a real difference in your own backyard and cause a ripple effect around the world. Find the right volunteer opportunity for you with our engagement center.