You know the kind of volunteer we’re talking about.

Reliable. Creative. Thoughtful. Passionate. Caring. Patient. Trustworthy. Persistent. Our volunteers are dynamic and different, but they all have one thing in common; they spend precious time and energy making meaningful connections between people.

The AFS-USA Volunteer Recognition Awards are designed to recognize the many contributions that our volunteers make. We know that volunteers don’t do it for the awards, but it sure feels good to be recognized. Help us celebrate volunteers!

Brief descriptions of the awards are below, and you can visit this Help & Learning article to learn more and submit a nomination.

National Awards

The AFS-USA Mission Award recognizes an outstanding volunteer who has made a significant impact in promoting the core values and mission of AFS through their leadership. The name says it all; this person embodies the AFS mission!

The AFS-USA Emerging Leader Award recognizes an individual who shows potential as a future leader within the AFS volunteer structure of chapters or teams. This award is intended to recognize emerging leaders regardless of their age.

The AFS-USA Dream Team Award recognizes a team for firing on all cylinders in ways that benefit their volunteers in more than one area of volunteer development and recognition. The selected Dream Team also receives a monetary award to be used toward volunteer development or recognition.

International Awards

The Galatti Award honors Steven Galatti, the AFS Director General from 1936-1964, and celebrates individual volunteers whose long-time commitment, dedication, and exceptional journey with the organization have advanced the AFS mission and created a significant impact.

The Peggy and Art Howe Award honors the Howe Family and celebrates families that provide exceptional, outstanding service to AFS and driving the AFS mission as a family. Art, an AFS ambulance driver and later AFS President, and Peggy, a volunteer coordinator, spent more than six decades supporting AFS.

The Young AFS Volunteer Award for Outstanding Service recognizes AFS volunteers 30 or younger whose exceptional contributions to the organization have made a difference in advancing the mission and goals of AFS.

We hope you will look among the volunteer heroes on your teams who could be nominated for any of these prestigious awards. Samples of successful nominations will be posted to Help & Learning. The nomination period opens on June 4 and closes on July 14, 2025.  Happy nominating!

Questions can be directed to the AFS-USA Volunteer Recognition Committee at usavrc@afs.org.