Juan Hernandez

Juan Hernandez’s star shines brightly throughout his volunteerism with Cornerstones.Cornerstones is a nonprofit organization that promotes self-sufficiency by providing support and advocacy for those in need of food, shelter, affordable housing, quality childcare, and other human services. Juan’s friendly manner quickly makes clients feel more comfortable, especially since he can answer questions in their primary language. 

During the annual holiday registration he assists in directing clients, and completing registration forms. He volunteers in the food pantry weekly, accepting and sorting donations, checks expiration dates, and stocking shelves. During the Lake Anne’s Farmer’s Market from May through November he volunteers, answering questions about using Food Stamps with vendors and processing payments. From November through Mid-March, Juan volunteers several times a month distributing coats at the Hunter Mill District Winter Coat Closet.

Year round Juan can be found at the Herndon Neighborhood resource Center where free haircuts are available. He sets up chairs, clears areas for the stylists and later returns to clean up and restore order. Since he is a regular volunteer and familiar with all of Cornerstone’s programs and program sites, he often assists in moving donations and supplies between programs, especially taking food or snacks to ESL classes from the Food Pantry in Reston. Juan enjoys using his bilingual and other skills to help those in need in the community. “Juan’s unselfish and noble actions make a huge difference in the community; especially for those who would otherwise have difficulty accessing services because of a language barrier,” said Minnie Orozco, Program Manager for Cornerstones’ Urgent Needs and Life Skills program.