How do I handle a long gap on my résumé? (update)

I have been out of work for 9 months and worry about the gap. I am nervous about being filtered out. How did you handle it on your résumé?

I listed the volunteering and course under the same dates and kept the explanation to a sentence in the cover letter.

I was hired after a 9-month gap. The manager said the skills test mattered more than the dates.