1. Richmond Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)
Founded: 1891
Description: Providing care for 350 to 400 animals daily, the organization rehabilitates and cares for homeless animals while working to find them responsible, loving homes. The SPCA also offers low-cost neutering and spaying services.
Interesting Fact: In 2006, the Richmond SPCA performed more than 11,000 neutering and spaying surgeries — more than any other humane society in the country.
Web site: www.richmondspca.org
2. Comfort Zone Camp Inc.
Founded: 1998
Description: Since its founding, Comfort Zone has held 67 free camp sessions and served more than 2,600 children who have lost a parent, sibling or primary caregiver, making it the largest bereavement camp in the country. The camps combine recreational activities with small-group healing sessions.
Interesting Fact: Comfort Zone held 17 camps in the New York City area for children of 9/11 victims.
Web site: www.comfortzonecamp.org
3. American Red Cross, Greater Richmond Chapter
Founded: 1917
Description: The chapter provides services to members of the military and their families, helps with disaster-relief efforts, and educates the public about health and safety. In 2006, the chapter offered shelter, hot meals and clothing to more than 866
disaster victims.
Interesting Fact: The chapter has trained more than 33,000 people in lifesaving skills like CPR and first aid in 2006.
Web site: www.greaterrichmond.redcross.org
4. Central Virginia Foodbank
Founded: 1980
Description: The Central Virginia Foodbank distributed 12.9 million pounds of food last year to people in 31 counties and five cities. Fifty percent of that food went to the Foodbank’s kid’s cafés, which serve children daily.
Interesting Fact: The Foodbank recently partnered with Meals on Wheels to raise $7.5 million for a 5,000-square-foot kitchen.
Web site: www.cvfb.org
5. Legal Information Network for Cancer (LINC)
Founded: 1996
Description: LINC guides people through the financial and legal burdens caused by a cancer diagnosis. It refers clients to attorneys interested in representing cancer patients, appeals insurance company denials and fights to protect the jobs of cancer patients.
Interesting Fact: Actress Sarah Jessica Parker serves as a spokesperson for LINC and sits as an honorary member on its board.
Web site: www.cancerlinc.org
6. Richmond Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Founded: 1998
Description: Nearly 8,500 people lined up for the local Race for the Cure on Mother’s Day weekend to raise money for the organization which supports breast cancer research, treatment, screenings and education.
Interesting Fact: Ten-year-old Meghan Rayner raised $11,363 in honor of her mother.
Web site: www.komenrichmond.org
7. Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program
Founded: 1987
Description: Members of the community choose angels from trees displayed at malls and companies. Each angel represents an underprivileged child. All in all, the Salvation Army’s Christmas programs served approximately 20,000 children.
Interesting Fact: 300 community and corporate partners are involved.
Web site: www.uss.salvationarmy.org/richmond
8. Habitat for Humanity, Richmond Metropolitan
Founded: 1986
Description: More than 30,000 people have volunteered with Richmond Habitat, which builds houses for low-income families. Richmond Habitat has built more than 275 houses, and the homeowners themselves have put in more than 96,250 hours of “sweat equity” toward the building of their homes.
Interesting Fact: The organization has used more than 15 million nails.
Web site: www.richmondhabitat.org
9. Goodwill Industries of Central Virginia
Founded: 1923
Description: By selling donated goods, the organization provides low-cost used items to consumers while generating revenue to fund job training and other services for socially disadvantaged and severely disabled people.
Interesting Fact: In 2006, Goodwill processed more than 30 million pounds of donations in Central Virginia.
Web site: www.goodwillcva.org
10. Fan Free Clinic Inc.
Founded: 1970
Description: Virginia’s first free clinic, the Fan Free Clinic provides medical care, mental-health services, medication-assistance programs and other services. Every year volunteers donate more than 7,800 hours to serve more than 12,500
individuals.
Interesting Fact: Clinic volunteers contribute free services that would be worth approximately $339,481 per year.
Web site: www.fanfreeclinic.org
11. Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Western Virginia
Founded: 1987
Description: By making dreams come true for children suffering from life-threatening medical conditions, the organization gives the children a sense of hope that the foundation considers necessary in the healing process.
Interesting Fact: The organization plans to grant 200 wishes this year, at an average cost of $6,000 per wish.
Web site: ww.vawish.org
12. Greater Richmond Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN)
Founded: 1991
Description: Working to prevent and treat child abuse and neglect, SCAN operates a child-advocacy center, which offers forensic interviews, medical examinations and mental health treatment to abused children and their nonabusive family members.
Interesting Fact: Last year, more than 700 local children were victims in proven cases
of abuse.
Web site: www.grscan.com
13. Meals on Wheels Serving Central Virginia Inc.
Founded: 1967
Description: The first local Meals on Wheels route included eight stops. Today, the organization serves meals to more than 700 homebound people every day.
Interesting Fact: More than 2,500 volunteers drove 350,000-plus miles to deliver meals
in 2006.
Web site: www.mowdelivers.com
14. Children’s Hospital (Richmond)
Founded: 1920
Description: The hospital cares for children with developmental disabilities, chronic illnesses, recent injuries, orthopedic problems and neurological and behavioral disorders. The hospital plans to increase its number of inpatients from 23 to 47 while continuing its outpatient and day-patient programs.
Interesting Fact: The hospital has operated at its Brook Road location since 1928.
Web site: www.childrenshosp-richmond.org
15. Christian Children’s Fund
Founded: 1938
Description: Assisting children and families in more than 30 countries, CCF provides healthcare, safe water, immunizations, educational assistance, better nutrition and other services. The CCF emergency response team aids children displaced by war and natural disasters.
Interesting Fact: When the organization was founded, it was called the China’s Children Fund because assistance originally went to Chinese children orphaned during the second Sino-Japanese war.
Web site: www.christianchildrensfund.org
16. CARITAS
Founded: 1987
Description: The largest emergency shelter in the Richmond area, CARITAS uses a network of 170 congregations that donate their facilities for at least a week to shelter and feed homeless men, women and children while helping them reach self-sufficiency.
Interesting Fact: CARITAS requires single adult clients to save 75 percent of any income they receive while in the program.
Web site: www.caritasshelter.org
17. Hospital Hospitality House of Richmond Inc.
Founded: 1985
Description: The Hospital Hospitality House provides lodging and food for hospital patients and their families when they cannot afford to stay elsewhere. Located in a former 121-room hotel at Seventh and Marshall streets, the house is the largest of its kind in the United States that operates without set room rates.
Interesting Fact: Guests have come from all 50 states and 31 different countries.
Web site: www.hhhrichmond.org
18. IVNA/Noah’s Children
Founded: 1997
Description: The Instructive Visiting Nurse Association oversees the first nonprofit, licensed pediatric hospice in Central Virginia. Noah’s also offers home-health services for adolescent mothers and mothers with HIV.
Interesting Fact: In 2002, in an effort to continue and expand services, the hospice was incorporated into IVNA.
Web site: www.ivna.org
19. Boys & Girls Clubs of Richmond
Founded: 1945
Description: In 2005, the organization surveyed 197 local club members, and 85 percent responded that access to the club helped them complete their homework, choose reading as a hobby and consider going to college. How do they do it? By providing educationally and athletically stimulating programs for children ages 6 to 18 during after-school hours in some of the region’s most impoverished neighborhoods.
Interesting Fact: Weekly tournaments in pool, ping-pong and football help attract new club members.
Web site: www.bgcmr.org
20. CrossOver Health Center
Founded: 1983
Description: The nondenominational healthcare ministry offers wellness education, primary care, dental and vision care, mental health care, HIV diagnosis and treatment, critical medications and other services to Richmond’s uninsured working poor.
Interesting Fact: CrossOver free clinics cared last year for 8,000 patients who otherwise could not afford health services.
Web site: www.crossoverministry.org
