Help a loved one show his or her support for peace this holiday season (and seasons to come!) by purchasing them a “Community Peacebuilding” license plate.  The annual plate purchase generates income for VACCR and the peacebuilding work of its member centers, making it the gift that keeps on giving in important ways.  Please peruse our site to learn more about VACCR’s work.  And consider purchasing a plate for someone this year!  It’s the perfect gift.  Plate purchases can be made at Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) customer service centers or on-line in the “Special Plates” section of the DMV’s website.  The plate carries a $25 fee and can be renewed annually.  Please click here to see the vehicle information required by the DMV for plate purchase.

In the United States people often use courts of law to resolve conflict.  This makes the courts responsible for conflict resolution as opposed to the people in conflict.  And it does not always settle issues adequately.  Many courts are over-burdened and struggling to meet the needs of the citizenry.

Community conflict resolution centers emerged in the United States in the 1960s to empower individuals and organizations to engage, transform, and resolve conflicts through the use of collaborative, constructive processes.  These processes include mediation, facilitation, conflict resolution training and restorative justice and are often provided by trained volunteers committed to helping their fellow citizens use non-adversarial ways to engage conflict.

The Virginia Association for Community Conflict Resolution (VACCR) formed in 1992 to support and encourage the growth of Virginia’s non-profit conflict resolution centers.  VACCR’s members want to engender a cultural change in which Virginians seek out the support of their community conflict resolution centers to resolve disputes on their own, and use the courts only as a last resort.  They believe that educating the public about the conflict resolution services available through the centers is a first step toward creating this cultural change and creating a more peaceful society.  

Click on the “Services” link on this site to learn about what’s being offered today by Virginia’s community mediation centers.  Or click on the “Regional Centers” link to find the website for the center nearest your community.

VACCR has worked with the Virginia General Assembly and the Department of Motor Vehicles to create a “Peace” license plate for Virginia’s citizens interested in promoting peace and community peacebuilding.

By purchasing a Peace plate, $15 of your $25 fee will go to help support community peacebuilding efforts of VACCR member centers. We hope you will encourage others to order the plate and we thank you for being a part of this effort.