Be The Change With Alpha Phi Omega

What Is Alpha Phi Omega

Alpha Phi Omega is a national co‑educational service fraternity dedicated to developing leadership, building friendship, and providing meaningful service. Founded in 1925 at Lafayette College, it has grown into the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with hundreds of chapters and a long-standing tradition of volunteerism. The organization centers its mission on four areas of service: to the campus, to the community, to the nation, and to the fraternity itself. Members participate in a wide range of projects such as community cleanups, blood drives, tutoring, event support, and national service initiatives while also taking part in leadership training and chapter activities that strengthen teamwork and personal growth.

Alpha Phi Omega at James Madison University is a chapter of the national co‑ed service fraternity that focuses on leadership, friendship, and service, but with its own strong campus identity and traditions. At JMU, APO brings together students who want to make a meaningful impact through consistent volunteer work both on and off campus. Members participate in a wide range of service projects such as supporting local nonprofits, organizing campus events, helping with community cleanups, and contributing to national APO initiatives while also building a close-knit community rooted in teamwork and shared values. The chapter emphasizes leadership development through officer roles, committees, and service coordination, giving students hands-on experience in planning and executing projects. Alongside service, APO at JMU fosters a welcoming social environment through brotherhood events, retreats, and bonding activities that help members form lasting friendships. Overall, JMU’s APO chapter serves as a hub for students who want to grow as leaders, connect with others, and make a positive difference in the Harrisonburg community.

Why You Should Volunteer

Volunteering takes on an even deeper meaning in places like Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, where community ties are strong and local organizations rely heavily on neighbors stepping up. Whether it’s supporting the work of groups like the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, helping with Harrisonburg Parks and Recreation events, or pitching in at local schools, volunteers directly strengthen the fabric of the Valley. These efforts keep neighborhoods cleaner, families supported, and community traditions alive. In a region where people genuinely notice and appreciate one another, the impact of a few hours of service shows up quickly and close to home.

It also gives volunteers a chance to feel more rooted in the Shenandoah Valley. Harrisonburg’s blend of long‑time residents, JMU students, and newcomers creates a unique mix of perspectives, and volunteering is one of the easiest ways to bridge those worlds. Helping at a Rockingham County fair event, joining a local trail cleanup, or supporting refugee‑focused nonprofits introduces you to people you might never meet otherwise. It builds skills, expands your network, and gives you a sense of belonging in a community that values connection and service. In a place as community‑driven as Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, showing up isn’t just helpful it’s part of what makes the area feel like home.

Community Partners

When it comes to creating bonds with local community partners we have been able to connect with a variety of projects in the area. On top of that also being able to reach different fields which include human services, community welfare, childhood education, and environmental projects. Here are a list of a few we work with:

image of studnets with residents making crafts

Pleasant View

Pleasant View supports individuals with disabilities in living out their goals for meaningful work, relationships, and spiritual development. We go each Friday to hangout with residents and play games like bingo and corn hole!
Chairs are Maddy Brendel and Anna Lienard

Bridgewater Retirement Community

Each Sunday, we go to Bridgewater Retirement Community to assist residents to and from church service while building meaningful connections with members of the community.
Chair is Ally De Cardona

Special Olympics

Special Olympics creates a community promoting inclusion, health, and community through playing sports with individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Chairs are Cheyenne Estep and Maya Perez

Hope Distributed

Hope Distributed is a nonprofit in Harrisonburg that supports those facing economic insecurity. We specifically volunteer with the food bank section of the organization, and it’s an amazing way to see hundreds of faces in the community and give back!
Chairs are Shannon Costello and Julissah Vaquez

image of students going through boardgames

Gift & Thrift

Gift & Thrift is a local thrift store committed to giving used items new life! We go each Friday to help them sort through the thousands of donations they receive weekly.
Chair is Charlotte Lasseigne

image of students taking a selfie infront of a dumpster after picking up trash

Community Clean Up

During Community Cleanup, we go to Devon Lane to pick up trash and litter left over the weekend.
Chairs are Ella Chaloux and Maggie Moonis

Blue Ridge Area Food Bank

Blue Ridge Area Food Bank’s mission is to create a hunger-free community. We go each Wednesday to help sort through donations at their warehouse in Verona, VA
Chairs are Bridgette Ertel and Sarah Cook

image of students playing games with the residents

Valley Open Doors

Valley Open Doors provides shelter for the unhoused, as well as compassionate support and access to services for all in the Harrisonburg-Rockingham community. We go each Tuesday to host game night!
Chair is Lauren Homem

Cat's Cradle

At Cat’s Cradle we help with chores around the downtown cat cafe center as well as help socialize the adoptable kitties!
Chairs are Julia Finkler and Drew Bradford

Our Community Place

Our Community Place provides a community center and services for those experiencing homelessness, personal challenges, and other adverse circumstances. We go each Tuesday to clean/organize the center.
Isabella Hardy

image of a student and a kid working on a project

Explore More Tinker Time

This project takes place at the children’s museum downtown. We facilitate “Tinker Time,” which is a program that encourages creativity and problem-solving while crafting.
Chair Mary Ellwanger

image of college students working with students on a project

On The Road

On The Road is an afterschool program for middle schoolers focused in bridging the economic gap in education! When volunteering, we help the kids with whatever the weekly project is, connect with them, and form meaningful relationships. This is a super fun project if you love working with kids.
Chair is Emma Craddock

image of students working in the bedding of a garden

Avalon Acres

Avalon Acres is a sustainable farm in Broadway, Virginia! They prioritize environmentally friendly farming practices by doing things like carbon sequestration, composting, and removal of invasive species. This project is a great way to make a positive impact on the local environment, learn about sustainability, and spend time in nature!
Chairs Elena Martinez and Hayden Goedert

Spotswood and Keister Elementary Gardening

We have two projects where we tend to gardens and a trail at local schools. Through this project, we indirectly teach the students about nature and sustainable practices. The project involves cleaning up trash, weeding, digging plots, and other hands-on gardening.
Chairs Alec Denny and Desi Emmert-Hart

image of the land and a educational sign at Jubilee

Jubilee Climate Farm

Jubilee Climate Farm is a local farm that uses sustainable farming methods in order to combat climate change. The main goal of the farm I to sequester carbon in the soil, reducing the amount in the atmosphere. Service at the farm includes harvesting and planting crops, digging holes, ditches, and ponds, weeding, and much more.
Chairs are Lauren Heppner, Marielle Thyen, Jordan Dawson

image of studetns working and using a wheelbarrow

Vine & Fig

At Vine & Fig, we work to build a foundation for a non-violent way of life. We seek to cultivate and celebrate works of mercy, social justice, and ecological sustainability as the foundation for a nonviolent, compassionate way of life.
Chair is Conor Cockrell

image of students smiling with their pumpkins they carved

Project GROWS

Project GROWS is a nonprofit educational farm in Augusta County. They work to improve the health of our community through affordable food markets and extensive food education programs. They use organic practices to grow over 200,000 servings of food each year on their 10-acre farm
Chair is Kate Blackwelder