Volunteers of America has been supporting Western and Central New York communities for more than 100 years. Explore our history to learn more about our commitment to addressing community needs through programs that help the most vulnerable and under-served people achieve their full potential.
Timeline
1896 Volunteers of
America was founded by social reformers Maud and Ballington Booth.
1901 Ballington Booth visited
Rochester,
NY and forms
Rochester post of Volunteers of America.
1914 Captain William McNabb assigned to lead Volunteers of America's
Rochester post. He identified additional shelter for homeless individuals as a need in
Rochester and opened a lodging house at
187 Front Street.
1929 More than 24,000
Rochester area workers lose their jobs. Volunteers of
America established feeding kitchens and clothing distribution centers for the poor.
1937 Volunteers of America's Rochester post offers free vocational training and distributes 200 food baskets a month to those in need.
1940 Ballington Booth dies on October 5.
1949 Maud Booth dies, son Charles Booth becomes General Booth, assuming leadership of national operations, in the spring.
1961 Recycling program expanded to stock thrift stores from which revenues would be used to support Volunteers of America's human service programs.
1987 Children's Center opens at 183 Bloss Street, in Rochester.
1988 Volunteers of America becomes incorporated.
1990 Second Children's Center site opens at 167 Fulton Avenue.
1993 New 40-bed addition opens at 175 Ward Street to house the homeless. The entire facility serves 100 individuals.
1994 Children's services expanded to include Head Start programs.
1995 Volunteers of America of Western New York merges with Central New York offices in order to continue providing much needed housing programs in Binghamton.
1997 Volunteers of America begins operating a federal Community Corrections Center in Rochester.
1998 Volunteers of America opens a human services complex at 214 Lake Avenue in Rochester. It includes a state-of the art Children's Center that serves up to 260 children daily, a flagship retail center, outreach services, and administrative offices.
2000 Volunteers of America Children's Center receives national accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
2001 Volunteers of America begins operating a federal Community Corrections Center in Binghamton.
2005 Dianne Newhouse becomes President and CEO.
2006 Volunteers of America opens a Resale Store in Warsaw, NY and one in Webster, NY.
2006 Volunteers of America Community Corrections Center national receives accreditation from American Correctional Association.
2007 Volunteers of America adds the Working Wardrobe to its community outreach programs.
2008 The Emergency Family Shelter opens and is filled to capacity, providing homeless families with a safe place to live while they become re-established with jobs and homes.
2008 Volunteers of America open a Resale Store in Canandaigua, NY.
2009 Volunteers of America begins $2.9 million Cooper Union renovation project at 119 State Street, Rochester, NY.
2010 Volunteers of America opens a Resale Store on Culver Road in Rochester, NY, unveils Cooper Union Apartments and Dianne Newhouse retires as CEO.
2011 Cooper Union Apartments unveiled and JoAnne M. Ryan, RN, MHA becomes President and CEO.