Events

Expanding Volunteer Opportunities at the FDR Memorial

Two people in yellow polos stand next to a large statue of a man sitting. There is a granite backdrop.

The FDR Memorial Foundation helped add 10 new volunteers this summer to the FDR Memorial, the most we have ever helped place. 

The success of this recent voluntary effort is twofold: Enthusiasm around America’s 250th anniversary and stipends for volunteers. 

The Foundation recruits candidates, conducts an initial vetting, and supports their onboarding. Volunteers become part of the National Park Service’s Volunteers-in-Parks program, which is co-managed by the National Park Service and the Trust for the National Mall. 

A person posing in front of a waterfall at the FDR Memorial.

This new, targeted support from the FDR Memorial Foundation is made possible through funding from the Roosevelt Warm Springs Foundation, a founding grant from philanthropist Rick Burnes, and the Mike and Jane Deland Fund, administered by the FDR Memorial Foundation.

Successful applicants were offered an optional stipend by the Foundation to help cover transportation costs, along with a small financial thank-you for their service. 

More than three million people visit the FDR Memorial each year, creating a strong need for additional volunteers to help welcome and assist visitors. Stipends, which are not generally offered, help attract volunteers. 

The current stipend program will continue through 2026. Pending available funding, the support from the Foundation will resume in spring 2027 to help meet increased demand during the Cherry Blossom season.

One of the newest volunteers is Bill Miner of Alexandria, Virginia. Read his story next with this link.