The Volunteer of the Year Award is presented to an individual with a proven record of volunteerism who, through the donations of time and talent, has played a key role in helping local nonprofit organizations provide services to the community.

“Her impact on our county is tremendous, not only as a county employee but also as a volunteer where she uses her professional knowledge and continues to serve on numerous boards to meet the needs of the low-income community. She makes a difference, especially in helping our vulnerable population; to those who are less fortunate.”
—Kathleen Koch, Executive Director of Arundel Community Development Services

Vanessa Carter learned the value of volunteering and being involved in the local community from a young age as she watched her mother, the late Sarah E. Carter, as the first African American on the Anne Arundel County Council. Vanessa was raised on the principle that one must always give back to the community and she has put that learning into action by not only volunteering for organizations and utilizing her professional background, but also by also being involved in and supporting efforts of the church she attends, said nominator Kathleen Koch, Executive Director of Arundel Community Development Services, Inc. (ACDS).

As an active member of the ACDS Board of Directors, Vanessa brought her extensive knowledge of community development, land use, planning, and health to all issues and help to direct strategic planning efforts. “Due to her extensive knowledge of housing and health, she is one of the few people who understand the connection between housing and physical and mental health,” said Koch. 

“To have a board member like Vanessa is a Godsend,” added Koch. “Not only does she come to as many meetings as possible, but also, she comes prepared – she reads all of the materials so knows what we are talking about, she has a background in the field, so she has existing knowledge, she comes with questions, and then she volunteers to help out. She’s knowledgeable, she’s willing to work, and provides true leadership.”

Vanessa leads by example and is an incredibly hard worker. “A prior YWCA TWIN honoree, she is part of an esteemed sisterhood of women who have made marked contributions to the community and their professions. Her kindness and support of others is apparent in every interaction and the YWCA has certainly benefitted greatly from her engagement,” said Molly Knipe, CEO of the YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County.

Volunteering is and has been a critical component of Vanessa’s life. For example, during the more than 40 years that Carter attended Severna Park Evangelical Presbyterian Church she worked in 12 different ministries for the church. Now worshiping at Christ Reformed Presbyterian Church in Laurel, she is assisting the effort to house homeless women in the church facility over the winter months.

Vanessa is currently a member of the County Ethics Commission, the 21^st Century Club of the Greater Annapolis area, and serves on the board of the YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. In the past, she has served on an extensive list of nonprofit boards as well as being a member of the 1995 Governor’s Task Force on Assisted Living Facilities and a member of the founding Board of Trustees for the Wiley H. Bates Legacy Center.

“Her impact on our county is tremendous, not only as a county employee but also as a volunteer where she uses her professional knowledge and continues to serve on numerous boards to meet the needs of the low-income community,” said Koch. “She makes a difference, especially in helping our vulnerable population; to those who are less fortunate.”

Watch the full video from the event here.