Volunteer Center of South Jersey

Mission: To change lives, empower families, and improve our community through volunteerism and the support of local non-profit organizations.

The Volunteer Center was established in 1996 as The Volunteer Center of Gloucester County. In 2013, VCSJ expanded and changed its name to the Volunteer Center of South Jersey., serving 7 counties in the Southern New Jersey region.

In July 2023, the Volunteer Center completed a merger with Jersey Cares. The Volunteer Center of South Jersey (VCSJ) is now a program of Jersey Cares and continues to operate under the Volunteer Center of South Jersey name, in recognition of its longstanding work and commitment in the South Jersey. Jersey Cares is a leading organization focused on meaningful volunteering in New Jersey and whose mission also serves volunteers, nonprofits, and communities across the State.

VCSJ and Jersey Cares share the same mission, goals, and objectives by improving our communities at large, connecting volunteers with opportunities to serve, and strengthening the nonprofit community with effective volunteer engagement training and resources.

The Volunteer Center of South Jersey serves multiple roles to support both volunteers and nonprofit organizations. Primarily, it connects individuals and businesses with volunteer opportunities and provides training and resources to help volunteers engage effectively. For community organizations, the Center acts as a hub, offering services such as volunteer recruitment, capacity-building education, and best practices publications for nonprofit management. The Center also works to strengthen the local community by facilitating partnerships between individuals, businesses, schools, faith-based groups, and other organizations to address regional social needs.

To help our nonprofit partners grow and serve the community, we create and offer best practice tools, help them manage volunteers and track impact, and offer educational, consulting, and other support services. The Center also offers recognition programs for volunteers and coordinates local initiatives like corporate social responsibility programs​.