Partner: Peter Paul Development Center

Advisor: Sherika Chew

William and his wife and young child have been navigating the affects of homelessness for several years and have found it difficult to find consistent affordable housing, The pandemic and its affects on employment have made this journey all the more challenging. They have been blessed recently to secure an apartment now that William has found work. Unfortunately, this apartment is much further outside the area that he and has family had been staying and the network they had built. This has made his car even more essential to their livelihood. Being able to pay the car insurance this month means he can get back and forth to work and keep the momentum they have built as they work to secure a much more steady future for their family,

Partner: Peter Paul Development Center

Advisor: Sherika Chew

Leah needs assistance paying her rent for the month of February. She and her husband have fallen behind trying to juggle all their finances since his job hours have been so dramatically reduced and inconsistent due to the pandemic. Leah is currently unemployed and is looking for work. Her husband enjoys serving the community as a custodian and hopes to be able continuing in this way again on a more full time basis again soon as the world slowly returns to normal. They are both active members of the community and enjoy their little Church Hill apartment and are super grateful to be apart of this evolving neighborhood.

Partner: Peter Paul Development Center

Advisor: Sherika Chew

Samesha and her husband have 3 beautiful little boys and are new to the East End of Richmond. They are excited to have their twin 7 year olds finally return back to school and are grateful to have secured quality childcare their 1year old son. They are optimistic about the changes but have been finding if increasingly more difficult to purchase basic household essentials and cover all of bills since her husband was laid off in November. Purchasing what they needed to get their boys back into school and starting in the new daycare has made them a bit short of what they need to cover their rent for March. Support with this request would provide peace of mind and a bit of a leg up as they get settled in to the neighborhood.

Partner: Richmond Office of Community Wealth Building

Advisor: Chaya Braxton

Help with Security Deposit. Yenita has been caring for an ill family member. Since becoming a caretaker, she has had to move because her home was being sold. Yenita had been staying in a hotel for the last few months and has just secured housing. She needs $2,000 for a security deposit and the first month of rent. Yenita will be receiving $1200 from a crisis fund. She also will receive financial support from churches and friends. This type of help provides a new beginning for her and her family.

Partner: Peter Paul Development Center

Advisor: Sherika Chew

Sunshine is a single mother who has been working diligently to save her money and build her credit to buy a home for her 3 children and move them out of the housing projects. She and her family were recently the victims of a violent home invasion and have been staying in a hotel because they understandably no longer feel safe at home. This has put her homeownership plans to a halt and she is now just trying to stay afloat while she looks for an affordable apartment. This assistance would allow her one more week in the extended stay hotel and a few more days of peace for her young children while she navigates a more long term solution.

Partner: Richmond Office of Community Wealth Building

Advisor: Chaya Braxton

Help with Rent. Recently, Rosalyn had serious car trouble that prevented her from getting to and from work. She couldn’t afford to lose her job, so she took her rent money to get her car fixed, now Rosalyn needs assistance with paying her rent.

Partner: Richmond Office of Community Wealth Building

Advisor: Chaya Braxton

Help with Clothing. When COVID-19 hit, Vernard lost everything. Now he is in transition and is in need of clothing, shoes, and personal hygiene for employment. Vernard is very humble and eager to get back on his feet and he hasn’t let this setback get him down.

Partner: Richmond Office of Community Wealth Building

Advisor: Chaya Braxton

Help with Shelter. Lisa is staying in an extended stay hotel and is behind. She owes $540 before Monday or will be evicted; Lisa is struggling to come up with the remainder of the balance. Lisa receives disability but is struggling but is unable to provide housing for her and her son. She is working with an agency to find permanent housing. This type of help will prevent Lisa from being evicted from the hotel stay.

Partner: Peter Paul Development Center

Advisor: Sherika Chew

Evan is a very active member of our community and brings joy and light to everyone she meets. She makes it her business to know all her of neighbors and they all appreciate her presence on the block. She lives on a fixed income because she suffered an injury that left her disabled. Her normal outside supports including several family members who usually help cover her household expenses have slowed down because they too are receiving less income due to the pandemic and fewer work hours. Support covering this portion of her rent will make all the difference for her this month and ease this burden for her.

Partner: Peter Paul Development Center

Advisor: Sherika Chew

Jessie is a senior member of our community. He and his wife live on a very fixed income. He has been experiencing issues with his car's radiator. This vehicle is his sole mode of transportation and he relies heavily on it to get back and forth to doctor's appointment. Maintaining this vehicle in working and safe conditions is extremely important to sustaining his quality of his life.

Partner: IRC

Advisor: Sharon Singer

Parwin and her husband escaped dangerous Afghanistan to Germany to await the processing of their Special Immigrant Visa -- a program that rewards people who worked with the United States military and government in their home country with a new life in the U.S. The family arrived to Richmond in September 2017, achieved self-sufficiency, and were doing well. But now Parwin stopped working when she reached eight months of pregnancy then her husband unexpectedly lost his warehousing job due to COVID-19 layoffs. They need a little assistance making ends meet on all their bills this month while IRC employment specialists help Parwin's husband find a job that will support the family until she can also return to work after having the baby.

Partner: Richmond Office of Community Wealth Building

Advisor: Chaya Braxton

Help with Groceries. Benita is a disabled amputee who is currently unemployed since the pandemic began. As a result, her family had to move in together, making it a family size of four. Benita's finances and food allotment alone are not enough to feed and support her family adequately. She is asking for support with food and other necessities to endure this crisis.

Partner: Peter Paul Development Center

Advisor: Sherika Chew

Nicole is a single mother of 2 and works part time as a office manager outside the home. She was laid off from her full time job at the beginning of the pandemic and has found it difficult to keep all her bills current and pay for childcare. She has requested rental assistance from other organizations but has been denied because she has not gotten an eviction notice. She is doing the best she can to keep this from occurring and is now reaching out for more non traditional assistance while she continues to search for steady employment. She is grateful to know that there are community members working together to help bridge the gap for those whose needs do not fit the "mold".

Partner: Peter Paul Development Center

Advisor: Sherika Chew

Tamika is a single mother of four living on a fixed income who needs assistance keeping her rent payments up to date. She is diligently trying to secure fulltime employment. She has experience working in housekeeping for area hotels but has found it hard right now to find a place that is able to give her ample hours in this field since the pandemic has caused such a decline in this industry. She has found that being laid off has allowed her to explore other career paths and has expressed a desire to work in transportation with hopes that the hours will be more flexible and allow her more time to be with her children. This is a privilege that she has grown accustomed to and has come to cherish to now that they are all at home.

Partner: Richmond Office of Community Wealth Building

Advisor: Chaya Braxton

Help with Registration fees. Jazz, a single young mother of two, is working extremely hard to create a career path that will allow her to sustain a fair wage with flexible hours. Becoming an Armed security office would enable her to apply for government contracts and earn a sustainable income. She needs assistance with registration fees for DCJS to get her certification as a security guard. These fees must be paid online upon registration with a card. At this time, Jazz is not working due to COVID and lack of childcare; her funds are limited. This type of support to change her life and move up the ladder of success.

Partner: Richmond Office of Community Wealth Building

Advisor: Chaya Braxton

Help with a Laptop. Laverne is a senior citizen enrolled in Our workforce program. She is struggling with learning how to navigate technology. She was approved for a basic computer to help her understand how to navigate her emails, texting, and attending a zoom call. She is asking for support with a laptop computer.

Partner: Richmond Office of Community Wealth Building

Advisor: Chaya Braxton

Help with a Laptop. Quaesha is a single mom working hard to care for her family. She was recently approved for cosmetology training but found out the class was online in the evenings. Quaesha does not have a computer at home and needs one to attend class. Quaesha is very close to fulfilling her dream of becoming a hair technician. She started a job in December 2020, trying to catch up on her bills; there is no way she can afford a laptop for class. At this time, she is reaching out for support to assist with a computer.

Partner: Peter Paul Development Center

Advisor: Sherika Chew

Justice is a young parent and the oldest of four siblings whose mother just passed away on February 2nd due to cardiac arrest. Justice is left to care for her son and three younger sisters in the wake of all this and to make arrangements for a proper burial, which seems like an insurmountable feat on her fixed income. She is leaning on the support of community organizations to help cover the costs and has set up a go fund me page that is slowly making traction. This is an opportunity for community members to connect and support a young woman who is desperately trying her best to stay on the path toward her goals despite everything coming at her.

Partner: Peter Paul Development Center

Advisor: Sherika Chew

Carol and her husband are both elderly and receive a fixed income monthly. They have been doing the best they can to keep up the maintenance on the house that they have called home for many years. They could use a little support trying to pull together the funds required to correct an issue that has been compiling due to a set in delipidated windows. Correcting this problem would not allow keep their house properly maintained but will help lower their rising utility bills and remove much of the strain on their already stretched income.

Partner: Peter Paul Development Center

Advisor: Sherika Chew

Ms. Tracey has just come into community with Peter Paul and is leaning in to programs because she recognizes her need for others to get through this trying time. She has been a light to get to know and we are better for her presence. She spends most of her days caring for her 17 year old daughter who suffers with mental disability. Neither of them are in a position to work during this time. She has fallen a bit behind on her cell phone and needs assistance paying the past due balance and reconnection fees. We are delighted that Ms. Tracey was vulnerable enough to share her need with people she has so newly come into relationship with and are excited to see how the assistance sets her up for better days ahead.