- A marvelous library. The Slover Memorial Library opened in January 2015 in downtown
Norfolk as far more than a place for books. It is a gathering spot, a place for ideas and one of the most technologically advanced libraries in the countries. Thanks Munro Black, Taylor sisters, Bradley family and Kathrina Powell for loving libraries and making funds possible for this marvelous library.
Slover Memorial Library - No summer slide for vulnerable children. Fun learning through the United for Children Summer Academy helped 143 elementary school children from Norfolk's Tidewater Park neighborhood stay on track academically during summer months. The children live in one of the city's poorest neighborhoods. Some students returned to school last fall with big gains in reading and math. Thanks, Ethel Jones for caring for Norfolk's children and making us your partner in philanthropy.
- More homes for the homeless. Virginia Supportive Housing opened Crescent Square apartments in Virginia Beach with apartments for 42 formerly homeless citizens and 38 units for other low-income residents. This is its fifth supportive housing community in the region with one more breaking ground in Norfolk in January 2016. During the year Judeo-Christian Outreach Center placed 31 homeless individuals into permanent housing and supported them with case managers and helpful classes. Volunteers of America gave another 21 formerly homeless folks permanent homes. Thanks, Perry and Bunny Morgan and Jane and Bill Charters for your generosity and ideas for helping people have better lives.
- A college education. This year 391 students are attending 77 different colleges and universities to learn and prepare for bright futures. We appreciate the many scholarship donors who provided more than $1.2 million in scholarships in 2014-15.
- Happy, well-trained pets (and owners). The
Chesapeake Humane Society, Norfolk
SPCA and Virginia Beach SPCA's banded together to open the Happy Paws Animal Training Center in Virginia Beach. Since April 2015 more than 280 classes, 100+ private sessions and dozens of in-home sessions have helped train pets and their owners. Thanks, Capt. Alfred Nicholson for your caring heart and generosity.
Happy Paws Animal Training Center - A more secure financial future . A new Urban League Financial Empowerment Center helped183 low-income Hampton Roads citizens raise their credit scores. Thirty-six participants got jobs, and 114 start their first savings accounts. Thanks go to unrestricted fund donors for giving people to have more secure futures.
- Hope for abused children. It's sad to think that staff at the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters Child Abuse Program had to treat 169 area children who are victims of child abuse. But grant funding helped support 551 forensic interviews that led to the prosecution of 27 adults. Thanks go to donor Guy Winfrey for starting a fund to help abused children and adults.
- Better health care for citizens in need. Nearly 4,000 low-income residents with health issues and little or no insurance received treatment with help from multi-year grants to Access Partnership, the Beach Health Clinic and the Chesapeake Care Clinic and its Hampton Roads Dental Clinic. Thanks go to donors Bill and Jane Charters and their concern for basic human needs
- An appreciation for the arts. Since 2012 more than 2,350 children from low-income
families learned to dance, sing or play instruments through the Crispus Attucks Cultural Center, Mosaic Steel Orchestra, the Salvation Army and the Virginia Symphony. Thanks go to the Ashinoff family, Lee and Helen Gifford, William Goldback, Lee Kanter and Mabel Tyler for supporting the arts.
Mosaic Steel Orchestra - Children gain their own families. This year eight area children who needed parents have become part of families. Thanks to The Up Center's foster-to-adopt program, the children connected with new families and have been adopted. Thanks go to donor Guy Winfrey for caring about children.
(The Hampton Roads Community Foundation is a regional community foundation started in 1950 as the first community foundation in Virginia. It is among nearly 750 community foundation around the country serving specific geographic regions. It is the largest grant and scholarship provider in southeastern Virginia and manages more than 400 charitable funds created by donors from all walks of life. Over the decades it has provided more than $210 million to improve life for residents living in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia, including the cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Smithfield, Suffolk and Virginia Beach. It also serves people in Isle of Wight and Southampton counties and the Eastern Shore of Virginia, including Accomack and Northampton counties. Learn more at hamptonroadscf.org. You can click here to locate a community foundation near you. )
