The President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA)
We are excited to announce that Chinese American Parent Association of Montgomery County (CAPA-MC) is now a PVSA certified organization. As a certified organization, CAPA-MC is authorized to issue PVSA award to volunteers who meet certain volunteer services.
What is the PVSA?
The President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) is an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and is administered by Points of Light. Through a shared mission of inspiring more to answer the call to service, the President’s Volunteer Service Award
celebrates the impact we can all make in bettering our communities and our world.
Criteria
Individuals, families and groups that meet the criteria are eligible for the PVSA.
- Recipient(s) must be a United States citizen or a lawfully admitted permanent resident of the United States.
- Awards are issued for service hours served within a 12-month time period or over the course of a lifetime.
- Awards are issued for volunteer service only; additional levels of participation with the organization (i.e., charitable support) are not a factor considered for the award.
- Court-ordered community service does not qualify for the award.
- Awards are issued by approved Certifying Organizations.
- Service must be with an approved Certifying Organization that is legally established in the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or one of the U.S. territories.
Eligibility
Hours are measured over a 12-month period and awards are designated based on cumulative hours. The awards are offered in multiple levels and are designed to recognize each milestone of your service achievement. Levels include bronze, silver, gold and the highest honor, the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for those who contribute more than 4,000 hours of service in their lifetime.
If you want to be a CAPA-MC nominated PVSA volunteer member or have a question, please contact: pvsa@capamc.org
FAQ
- How does one become a CAPA-MC nominated PVSA volunteer member?
To become a CAPA-MC nominated PVSA volunteer member, you can register as a volunteer on the https://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/ and enter the ROS (Record of Service) Key: TXI-8918 to your account in order to link your account to CAPA-MC. Or, you can contact our volunteer coordinator at pvsa@capamc.org and provide the following information (we will keep your personal information confidential):
- Last and First Name
- Mailing Address
- Email Address
- Date of Birth
- Phone number
- Gender (optional)
- What is CAPA-MC’s 12 months service time period?
Annually April 1st to March 31st. All the service hours which are used to apply for the award must be completed in the aforementioned time period and all documents/forms must be submitted to the CAPA-MC volunteer coordinator at pvsa@capamc.org before May 15.
- Are MCPS-approved SSL hours eligible to count toward an award?
Generally yes, but it is important to note that NOT all MCPS-approved SSL hours are eligible. First, the volunteer activity must be conducted in the US. Second, if the majority SSL hours are granted from one organization which is not affiliated with CAPA-MC, we recommend you to apply for the same award through that organization. To ensure the integrity of the PSVA awards, CAPA-MC has the discretion to decide if the SSL hours submitted by applicant is eligible to count toward PVSA award.
- Is there a fee needed to apply for the award?
No application fee is needed to apply for the award and CAPA-MC doesn’t charge any fee for nominating volunteers. But if you are selected to receive the award, you need to pay a small fee to purchase the award package (certificate, pin or medallion). This fee is required by the PVSA official site.
- What will happen, if the age group changes in the 12- month time period?
If within the time period your age group changes (Kids, Teens, Young Adults and Adults), your hours requirement will be divided into two parts, the months before and after your birthday. Your service hours will need to meet the required hours in each age group by month to be eligible for the award.
6. Are there other requirements to apply for the PVSA through CAPA-MC?
One of your family members must be a CAPA-MC general or voting member. If not, please register your family member at https://www.capamc.org/ or scan the below bar code to join. Our general membership is free and we want to build a strong Chinese American community so together we can make a difference.