Housing Families First meets $4.4M capital fundraising goal

Housing Families First officials recently announced that they had completed their "Opening Doors for Families" capital campaign to raise $4.4 million, which will allow the organization to significantly expand its services and facilities for families experiencing homelessness in the Richmond region.

The campaign, which began in November 2018, set a timeline to raise all of the funds by the end of 2022. Thanks to an groundswell of financial support from hundreds of people and groups, the organization reached its mark almost four months ahead of schedule.

"To say we are excited to have completed this campaign goal is an understatement," said Housing Families First Executive Director Beth Vann-Turnbull. "I am grateful to our amazing supporters for stepping up to help us expand our facilities and programs."

Housing Families First offers an emergency shelter, rapid re-housing to quickly move those with significant challenges into their own homes, a housing partnership with Richmond, Henrico, and Chesterfield school systems to help unstably housed students and their families secure permanent housing, and a partnership in the Homeless Connection Line.

The Opening Doors for Families capital campaign began when Housing Families First received a $2.5 million grant from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund in 2018. Since then, more than 300 foundations, people, congregations, businesses, and community groups have joined in the fundraising effort.

Housing Families First now will be able to provide:

• an opportunity for 300 additional people to move into permanent housing each year;
• 10 additional shelter beds in private room settings;
• an additional fully handicapped-accessible shelter bedroom and bathroom;
• improved family-friendly communal areas and activity areas for children;
• additional space for volunteer activities and community resources;
• more parking spaces for clients, staff, and volunteers.

"Homelessness is a community issue and it takes the community’s support to create actionable solutions that work," said Kelly Evans, president of the organization's board of directors. "To all of the organizations and individuals who made this happen, you were the solution and we are eternally grateful."

Construction on the shelter's renovation began in the midst of fundraising efforts in February and is almost complete. In addition to the renovation of numerous rooms and public spaces in the shelter, the construction project will also add nearly 4,000 square-feet of new space to the shelter, which is located at 3900 Nine Mile Road in Henrico.

"Simply put, this campaign will transform lives," said Housing Families First board members and community campaign co-chairs Will Melton and Becky McNeer in a joint statement. "Even though our shelter was already the largest in the area for families, there is always room for more improvements so we can help more families, and that is what this campaign accomplished."

Housing Families First officials are planning a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house event later this fall.