Volunteer Activities

Select the activities that interest you.

Emergency Contacts

Emergency Contact 1

Emergency Contact 2

Diversity and Equity Statement

Capitol Hill Village began in 2007 as a neighborhood organization aimed at supporting residents of the Hill. Since our inception we continue to be a vibrant and crucial part of the community engaging with people of all ages. We work against stereotypes and seek to re-write the playbook on aging in DC. CHV recognizes that inequity in any form negatively impacts health, financial, and emotional wellbeing for individuals of all ages, but especially older adults, for whom systemic inequalities have impacted many decades of life. We know the policing, education and healthcare systems do not treat all as equals. We are in solidarity with the people and organizations pushing to end racism and are willing to actively make changes necessary to align ourselves to this important work.

Permission for Background Check for All Volunteers

Confidentiality Policy

As the result of your volunteer duties with CHV, you may acquire and have access to confidential information belonging to CHV or about CHV members or volunteers or potential members or volunteers. This includes matters such as CHV's personnel information, member/client information and documents, suppliers, procedures, prospect names, business opportunities, confidential reports, business plans, donor lists, development strategies, member, volunteer or customer lists and contracts, as well as other information specific to CHV or to its members or volunteers.

As a condition of your volunteering, you must and hereby do agree that all such information is the exclusive property of CHV, and you will not at any time disclose to anyone, except in the responsible exercise of your volunteer role, any such information whether or not it has been designated specifically as "confidential."

Immunity from Civil Liability for Volunteer of a Corporation: District of Columbia's Good Samaritan Law

What You Need to Know About Being Liable for Your Volunteering Activities

One thing we can all agree is that volunteering is a good thing to do. We feel it on a personal level, and both the District and the federal government have passed laws that limit the civil liability of people who volunteer with nonprofits to help encourage volunteerism.

Under District law, a volunteer will only be held liable for their willful misconduct, a crime, and an action that resulted in some improper money-valued gain. That last one makes sure that Directors and Officers of nonprofits remain liable. Essentially, what this law does is make volunteers immune from liability for their negligent, and even grossly negligent, actions taken while volunteering. You can find this code section by typing "D.C. Code § 29-406.90" into your preferred browser.

Here is an example of something grossly negligent: Pouring buckets of water on the sidewalk in below freezing weather, to clean them. As a volunteer with a local nonprofit you wanted to get that sidewalk shining for your elderly neighbors who loves cleanliness. However, you create an ice rink and someone falls and breaks their leg. You are NOT liable. The nonprofit you were so assiduously cleaning the walks with is liable, but you will be held not liable by law. Now, had you poured water on the sidewalks with the purpose of making them treacherous and leg-threatening, then yes, you can be held liable for that willful misconduct. See the difference? Also, if you went outside on your own, unaffiliated with that local nonprofit, you would also be liable.

Here is what you need to know about what a qualifying nonprofit is. First of all, the nonprofit must be exempt from federal taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the tax code. If it is, then ask does this nonprofit have annual total functional expenses, exclusive of federal grants and allocations, of less than $100,000. If the answer is yes, you're out of excuses and you should grab your rake/hammer/mop and get to it. If the answer is no, they have functional expenses greater than $100,000, then you must ask if they carry insurance covers an individual claim to $200,000 and $500,000 per total claims that arise from the same incident. If the answer to that question is no, then recommend a good insurance salesperson to them, and find another nonprofit to volunteer with.

Short and Sweet Volunteer through a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that is either small and local, or large and well-insured, and you will not be liable for any damages that happen as a result of your negligent, or even grossly negligent, actions.

Release and Waiver of Liability

The Volunteer (named below) in favor of Capitol Hill Village (CHV), a nonprofit corporation, and its directors, officers, employees, and agents. The Volunteer desires to work as a volunteer for CHV and engage in the activities selected by the Volunteer on the Volunteer Application (the "Activities"). The Volunteer hereby freely, voluntarily, and without duress executes this Release under the following terms:

Release and Waiver. Volunteer does hereby release and forever discharge and hold harmless CHV and its successors and assigns from any and all liability, claims, and demands of whatever kind, either in law or in equity, that arise or may hereafter arise from Volunteer's activities, including claims related to bodily injury, personal injury, illness, death, or property damage that may result from Volunteer's activities, whether caused by the negligence of CHV or its officers, directors, employees, or agents or otherwise.

Volunteer also understands that CHV does not assume any responsibility for or obligation to provide financial assistance or other assistance including, but not limited to, medical, health, or disability insurance in the event of injury or illness. Volunteer expressly and specifically assumes the risk of injury or harm in their activities, and releases CHV from all liability for injury, illness, death, or property damage. The Volunteer understands that CHV does not carry or maintain health, medical, worker's compensation or disability insurance coverage for any Volunteer.

Photographic Release. Volunteer hereby grants CHV all right, title, and interest in any and all photographic images and video or audio recordings made by CHV during the Volunteer's activities.

Other. Volunteer expressly agrees that this Release is intended to be as broad and inclusive as permitted by the laws of the District of Columbia, shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia. Volunteer also agrees that in the event that any clause or provision of this Release shall be held to be invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity of such clause or provision shall not otherwise affect the remaining provisions.