Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas

Recently, our Market Heights Neighborhood Program in Norfolk hosted another successful food pantry distribution, providing fresh produce and essential groceries to dozens of families in in the Market Heights community. With Thanksgiving tomorrow, we’re especially grateful for the impact this program continues to have. One participant shared, “This program has allowed me to receive fresh and healthy produce and non-perishables I would normally have to save, set money aside for, or not purchase at all.” Moments like this remind us why access to healthy food is a critical part of building Healthy Communities for All. Thank you to every partner, volunteer, and neighbor who makes this work possible. Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore Lawson Hampton Roads Community Foundation #HealthyCommunitiesForAll #MarketHeights #Thanksgiving #FoodAccess #CommunityCare

Vaping is a big deal and has real impacts on your health. We're here to help you find help when you need it. Join us for a workshop. Quadcountysave.org #QuadCountySAVE #Youth #Tools

We’re excited to share the next video in our Special Projects at Baltimore Housing Programs series. Today, we’re highlighting a meaningful project happening at Pratt House. This week, Mike Barton from our VOACC team used his carpentry skills to build a custom chalkboard for the new computer lab funded by The Kahlert Foundation and Wellpoint. We’re grateful for partners and staff like Mike who invest in spaces where opportunity and care can thrive. Thank you to The Kahlert Foundation and WellPoint for helping make this possible! #HealthyCommunitiesForAll #PrattHouse #Thanksgiving

As we enter into Thanksgiving week, Rev. Jules Christian invites us to pause and remember the goodness of God in every season. This week’s message is a reminder that gratitude is more than a holiday theme. It is a posture that steadies us, softens our gatherings with family and friends, and grounds us when the year has felt heavy. Rev. Jules also shared a powerful reflection from Maya Angelou: “Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer, and let faith be the bridge that you build to overcome evil and welcome good.” May we carry that spirit as we enter the holidays. Let love guide our homes. Let peace soften our disagreements. And let the goodness of God be the story we tell. #Thanksgivingseason #HealthyCommunitieForAll #Gratitude

The North Carolina region made a powerful impact at the 2025 NAMI North Carolina Conference! Tianna G. took the stage and shared what it truly means to walk alongside pregnant and parenting women on their recovery journey. Her session opened hearts, sparked honest conversations, and reminded everyone that healing begins when mothers and their children are supported together. Dr. Ron Flack, Jr. M-Div, MA, PhD, LCAS, CCSI, MAC, ICAADC, Vice President of the Carolinas, attended in full support as Tianna lifted up the work happening through our Family Focused Recovery program and the courage of the families we serve every day. Thank you for showing the commitment of our NC region to help mothers access care without judgment and to strengthen the systems families rely on across Guilford County and North Carolina. #NorthCarolina #HealthyCommunitiesForAll #Recoveryprograms

Minister Benetta Johnson’s story is a powerful reminder that healing is real and God’s grace meets us right where we are. From her journey through recovery to discovering her call to serve, Benetta now shares hope, prayer, and presence with others through VOACC’s Ministry team. Her life shows what can happen when faith, community, and courage come together. Learn more about VOACC’s Ministry and how you can get involved at https://lnkd.in/e74eYDWe. Read Minister Benetta's full article here: https://lnkd.in/egvNHPnn.

Learn more tips through our workshops and resource hub at buildingbridgestohope.org Judgment-free tips; invite to resources/workshops. #BuildingBridgestoHope #Pregnancy #Education

Our Market Heights Neighborhood Program recently brought the Community Advisory Council together to talk about the program and what residents in the Market Heights community need most. The council includes Market Heights Apartments residents and Lawson staff and is facilitated by our Hampton Roads Community Outreach Specialist, Shamba Wilson. The program began in 2023 through a partnership between VOA Chesapeake & Carolinas and the Lawson Family Foundation Fund, managed by the Hampton Roads Community Foundation . We are honored to partner with Lawson, the foundation, and the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore to support residents of the Market Heights Apartments in Norfolk and the surrounding neighborhood. Through a community-focused approach, we connect residents to medical and mental health support, financial literacy classes, job and trade opportunities, and childcare. We also work with the food bank to bring fresh food to residents twice a month. The Community Advisory Council plays an important role in helping us understand what matters most to the people who call Market Heights home.

Thanks to strong collaborations and shared space at Brooks Crossing, free trainings are reaching more neighbors. Under Larry Brunson’s leadership, Brooks Crossing Innovation & Opportunity Center has become a trusted hub for learning, mentorship, and community resilience in Newport News, VA. Because of our collaboration, BBtH hosts free workshops such as Mental Health First Aid, CPR, and Narcan training, right inside the center. We’ve been able to equip more neighbors with the tools to prevent substance misuse.Want to help grow this impact? Partner with us at buildingbridgestohope.org. #BuildingBridgestoHope #Partners #Impact

Dr. Joseph George shares in this video how a gift card from VOACC once helped him through a difficult time. Today, you can give that same hope to a family in need. Join our Adopt A Family Gift Card Campaign and support one of the 147 families counting on receiving support this holiday season. Sign up to help and become a partner at: https://lnkd.in/eDypeBYa. #GivingSeason #HolidaySeason #HealthyCommunitiesForAll