Elaina Hunte is the Founder of Second Chance Volunteers (SCV), a community-focused organization committed to creating meaningful service opportunities while addressing the needs of individuals, families, and communities experiencing challenging transitions.
 

With a background spanning human services, healthcare, advocacy, community outreach, and volunteer engagement, Elaina brings years of professional and civic experience to her leadership of Second Chance Volunteers. Her approach is grounded in service, collaboration, dignity, and the belief that meaningful community engagement can create opportunities for positive change.
 

Elaina's commitment to community service began in high school, when she volunteered as a coach with Special Olympics. Her service continued through college with Midnight Run outreach in New York City, where she joined fellow volunteers in providing food and support to individuals experiencing homelessness. She later spent years participating in Backpack Outreach initiatives, helping prepare school supplies for young people in residential placement and children affected or infected by HIV/AIDS.
 

Elaina went on to spend five years with the Domestic Violence Crisis Center (DVCC) in Connecticut, serving as a Counselor Advocate within its Safe Houses. In this role, she supported women and children experiencing crisis and worked in an environment requiring advocacy, crisis response, coordination with community resources, and collaboration with law enforcement, and other service systems.
 

Her commitment to service later expanded through AmeriCorps VISTA, where her work focused on economically disadvantaged veterans and their families. Through community outreach, partnership development with Montrose VA Medical Center and Castle Point VA Medical Center, resource identification at Yellow Ribbon events, and service coordination. Elaina worked to strengthen connections between veterans, families, and available community resources.
 

Collectively, these experiences broadened Elaina's understanding of community needs and reinforced her belief that service should be purposeful, responsive, and rooted in dignity. That longstanding commitment ultimately led to the creation of Second Chance Volunteers.
 

As Founder, Elaina provides direction for SCV while developing community partnerships, volunteer initiatives, and service projects designed to create tangible community impact. Under her leadership, SCV's initiatives have included children's book collections supporting families impacted by incarceration, Fresh Start Kits for individuals navigating reentry, senior care initiatives, clothing projects, environmental service activities, and projects supporting veterans.
 

A distinctive component of SCV's work is its commitment to providing structured and meaningful opportunities for individuals completing court-ordered community service. Elaina believes community service can represent more than the fulfillment of an obligation - it can provide an opportunity to contribute, reconnect with the community, and recognize one's capacity to make a positive difference.
 

Through Second Chance Volunteers, Elaina continues a commitment to service that began long before the organization's founding. Her leadership reflects a philosophy centered on dignity, accountability, compassion, community, and second chances, with a continued focus on developing partnerships and initiatives that create meaningful opportunities to serve.