Actionable Ways to Make An Impact in Richmond This Year
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Now more than ever, our community needs our support. Here are some actionable ways that you can make an impact in Richmond this year, from donating blood to cleaning up our streets and beyond.
by Alicia Valenski
*Under the current circumstances, please follow all city, state, and federal guidelines surrounding social distancing and the use of face coverings. Use your best judgment to determine if an area is too populated to safely distance yourself from others.
Image Credit: @feedmoreinc
Donate food (or funds) to local food-relief organizations
Feed More collects, prepares, and distributes food to neighbors in need across 29 counties and five cities in Central Virginia. You can aid them in their mission by donating food, hosting a food drive, offering financial contributions, coordinating company-wide/organizational fundraisers and food drives, and more.
More than 14% of children in Virginia live in “food insecure” homes, meaning that those households don’t have enough food for every family member to lead a healthy life. No Kid Hungry Virginia works to ensure all children have access to the nutrition they need to grow and thrive. Find out how you can help here.
Image Source: @americanredcross
Participate in a blood drive
The American Red Cross aggregates information about blood drives happening within 25 miles of your zip code, outlining the date, time, location, and spots available at each upcoming event.
You can find all the information you need to know before donating here including eligibility requirements, details about the donation process, and more.
If you’re interested in hosting a blood drive, find out how to do so here.
Image Source: @cfrichmondva
Support COVID-19 relief efforts in the Richmond area
Central Virginia COVID-19 Relief Fund via the Community Foundation
Established in partnership with the Emergency Management Alliance of Central Virginia, this fund provides support to organizations to address the immediate needs, the longer-term effects of the pandemic, and community recovery. Donate here.
Image Credit: @keepvirginiacozy
Conserve and protect Virginia’s natural beauty
Keep Virginia Cozy’s mission is to protect wilderness and inspire all Virginians to care for our wild places. They contribute to better protection, stewardship, and restoration of our public lands, preserving our rich natural legacy for current and future generations.
You can Keep It Cozy by participating in community clean-ups (or hosting your own), participate in local environmental awareness classes to learn about Virginian habitats and how to protect them, join in on Trail Maintenance projects at the organization’s adopted section of trail in Shenandoah National Park, and more.
Image Source: @ralpics
Provide care (or supplies) for local animal shelters
Founded in 1979, RAL provides temporary housing, medical treatment, sterilization, and quality care to over 1,700 companion animals each year until they are adopted into permanent and loving homes.
Additionally, the Loving Spay + Neuter Clinic at Richmond Animal League offers low-cost spay and neuter services for cats and dogs to private owners, rescue organizations, and municipal shelters with no geographical restrictions. The clinic is also able to offer additional services such as vaccinations, heartworm testing, and flea/tick prevention to pet owners on the day of surgery.
The Richmond SPCA is a nonprofit, no-kill humane society that saves the lives of thousands of homeless dogs, cats, kittens, and puppies each year. They provide extensive veterinary medical treatment and behavioral rehabilitation to the vast majority of the dogs and cats in their shelter, and they adopt about 4,000 homeless pets into loving, lasting homes each year.
They also operate the community’s first and only full-service, low-cost veterinary hospital for the pets of people of modest means. This includes delivering free sterilization surgeries and rabies vaccinations to community cats brought to their veterinary hospital by concerned community members.
Image Source: @celebraterva
Offer financial support to underprivileged youth
Celebrate RVA was founded on the simple yet vital need to provide children, who otherwise would not have the opportunity, the chance to celebrate their birthday.
Your donation contribution will help to create birthday cheer for children in Richmond. Giving them the opportunity to celebrate their special day with laughter and joy. To make a wish and blow out their candles. That’s priceless!
Little Hands Virginia provides essentials and a little extra love to babies (0-3 years old) and families in need in the Greater Richmond region. Through donations, fundraising, and crowdsourcing for new and “like new” baby items, they work with their partner organizations (local agencies, hospitals, homeless shelters, and other nonprofits) to provide the items needed for the people they serve.
ChildSavers believes that all children can be safe, happy, healthy and ready to learn. The organization schedules group volunteer opportunities for students, religious organizations, corporate volunteers, and other larger groups. For more information or to inquire about how you can become a volunteer email Marta Waris, Administrative Coordinator at mwaris@childsavers.org.
ChildSavers also has limited volunteer opportunities for individuals, including administrative tasks and reading to children in the waiting room. Individuals are encouraged to call (804) 644-9590 to schedule a tour and interview!
Image Source: @handsonrva
Find volunteer opportunities even more specific to your particular interests and availability
If you’re looking for something more closely tied to your values or interests, then you can check out the volunteer opportunity search at handsonrva.com.
HandsOn Greater Richmond provides a link for individuals, families, teams, and corporate groups to join together and engage in meaningful volunteer opportunities within the Greater Richmond region. So, you can find just the right volunteer opportunity for you as an individual to make an impact on our community in your own unique way.
For example…
As an organization, The Richmond Experience’s official nonprofit partner is the Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity, because we want everyone to be able to call Richmond home. A portion of each business partnership is gifted to our local Habitat for Humanity chapter, helping our neighbors and veterans secure safe, affordable housing while providing resources to prepare them for successful home ownership.
Personally, I volunteer with Diversity Richmond, a local organization that raises funds to support local non-profit, LGBTQ+, and LGBTQ+ friendly community-based organizations (distributing more than $850,000 since its inception to area non-profits organizations like the Fan Free Clinic, ROSMY, Equality Virginia, and more).
And RVAx founders Sam and Sean donate locally to Richmond Animal Care & Control (RACC), the only open-admission animal shelter in the city servicing over 3,000 animals per year that need immediate care — that’s where they adopted their pups Charlie and Chance!
So, how will you support the Richmond community this year? Find an opportunity here.
Thank you to RVA NOW for powering this City Guide!