2026 Volunteer Appreciation

We celebrate our incredible volunteers every single day of the year. Without them, this organization would simply not exist. Our volunteers truly ARE the heartbeat of our organization, infusing it with energy, compassion, and purpose. If you are interested in volunteering with MarineParents.com and helping Recruit and Marine families through this journey, Click to Learn About Volunteering at MarineParents.com.

Three ways to leave a message of appreciation for the volunteers:

1. Visit and comment on the post on Marine Parents Community Network, MPCN: connectandshare.com/mpcn/VOA-2026
2. Visit and comment on our Facebook Page Post: facebook.com/marineparents
3. Visit and comment on our Facebook Group Post: facebook.com/groups/marineparentscom

Letter from the Founder

This year, 2026, National Volunteer Week is April 19-25, and during this time we ask you to join us in celebrating the hard work and dedication of our volunteers here at Marine Parents.

We have 43 volunteers who worked 27,847 hours in 2025. Each of these stellar individuals completed 40+ hours of training and mentoring to begin working in our groups. Each individual's dedication to the Marine Corps benefits thousands of families worldwide.

This year as I created the video of volunteer photos and began writing the article, I was in awe of the sheer number of volunteer hours collectively, and as individuals. Their longevity of service is not just admirable, it shows clearly their commitment to Marine and recruit family members. This is stellar work by stellar people. Congratulations to each of you, and thank you for your service.

This organization could not exist if it were not for the contributions of hundreds of parents around the United States. Our volunteers have taken that one step further and contribute endless hours answering emails, moderating the social media groups on MPCN: ConnectAndShare.com, our Facebook group, researching information, and supporting the parents, spouses, family and friends of our United States Marines.

As the founder of MarineParents.com, I have worked with amazing volunteers through the years, numbering several thousand in our 23+ years of service as MarineParents.com. Each year, I am in awe of the statistics, hours, and work—and the kind of people volunteering for MarineParents.com.

Thank you to each of our volunteers for giving your heart to our Marine Corps family members. Thank you for giving family members a place to connect and share®. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all you do.

God Bless and Semper Fi!

Tracy Della Vecchia
Founder and Executive Director

About National Volunteer Week

National Volunteer Week was established in 1974 by President Richard Nixon. This was done as a way to celebrate the hard work and dedication of volunteers. Each President since then has issued a proclamation during National Volunteer Week, and this has also been the case for many mayors and governors across the country. Since 1974, National Volunteer Week has not only been a celebration of the dedication of so many volunteers, but also a nationwide effort to encourage people to volunteer in their own communities.