About Us

When the first Volunteers of America (VOA) was founded in 1896, the concept of "volunteering" meant serving others as a vocation. While our understanding of the term has evolved, our dedication to serving others has not.

As an Alaskan direct-service non-profit organization, VOA Alaska has focused on serving Alaska’s most vulnerable since 1981. Today, our behavioral health professionals educate and support youth struggling with substance misuse and mental health conditions, while also providing a safe space for healing. Additionally, our public health team is on the front line of prevention, working to strengthen and promote healthy communities.

At VOA we believe in relieving human suffering; that every person deserves dignity, respect and hope. We believe that to empower the next generation we need to seek out those who are struggling and lift them up. The challenges are especially real here in Alaska. Harms from opioid and alcohol steal lives that end too young, result in significant poor health outcomes, and rob communities of our most valuable resource: our youth. The scope of the problem demands we increase our capacity to address these complex community needs. In spite of these challenges, we must intervene early through quality programming that reaches and uplifts. Read more about where VOA Alaska is heading in our 2018-2021 Strategic Plan.