‘Tis The Season of Giving Back to Our Community

As we prepare for the holiday season, let us remember that this is both a time to be thankful and a time for giving. Here are some ways we can help give back.

Give help to those in need

Virginia Beach Housing & Neighborhood Preservation invites residents to join the community-wide effort to help make homelessness rare, brief and nonrecurring. For those who want to help:

• Join the Conversation: VBHNP is updating the City’s Community of One strategic plan to address homelessness, which was adopted in 2017. The public is invited to learn more about the scope of homelessness in Virginia Beach and provide feedback on the proposed goals for the new plan on Wednesday, Nov. 29, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library, 4100 Virginia Beach Blvd. The public input meeting will also include a panel discussion on unsheltered homelessness featuring Homeless Outreach staff, service providers and community partners.
• Connect With a BEACH Partner: BEACH has a diverse network of organizations that provide support services for people experiencing homelessness or a housing crisis. Find a cause and learn how to get involved at BEACHCommunityPartnership.org/Give-Help.
• Become a Housing Partner: Landlords and property owners play a key role in ending homelessness by renting their units to families and individuals who are ready to move into permanent housing. Benefits to landlords who partner with certain housing programs include monetary incentives; timely, guaranteed rent payments and the opportunity to create social impact in their community. To learn more, call the HRC at 757-385-5167 or visit VirginiaBeach.gov/LEAP.
• Donate to VB Home Now to Support Homeless Programs: VB Home Now is a nonprofit foundation that supports and enhances the community system of services, programs and facilities to prevent and end homelessness in Virginia Beach. Donations directly impact people who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of losing their housing by providing financial assistance for rent, utility and security deposits, rental arrears and emergency housing fees. To learn more or to donate, visit www.VBHomeNow.org.

Donate to VBPD Mounted Patrol’s Annual Food and Toy Drive

Virginia Beach Police Department Mounted Patrol will host its annual Holiday Open House Toy and Food Drive from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, at the Mounted Police barn, 2089 Indian River Road. Attendees are encouraged to bring nonperishable food and/or new unwrapped toy donations. Photo opportunities are available for everyone and children 13 and under may get a picture on a horse.

Along with giving back, this is a great chance to meet and learn more about the officers (equine and human), volunteering, donating and supporting the Mounted Patrol unit.

Drop off a toy for kids five and under at Virginia Beach libraries

The Virginia Beach Public Library’s Teen Advisory Group is collecting new toys for kids ages five and under with its annual holiday toy drive. Every year, these teen volunteers and this service project supports the Department of Human Services and the families that rely on them to deliver toys and brighten spirits. Consider donating unwrapped toys in the creatively decorated boxes at all open library locations by Dec. 8.

Bring a toy to the Virginia Aquarium and receive a discount in the gift shop

The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center has collection boxes for donations for Toys for Tots again this year. Now through Dec. 13, place a new unwrapped toy in the collection box at the Aquarium Store and receive 20% off an in-store purchase or the same discount if you choose to purchase your donation at the store. Donated toys do not have to bought from gift shop.

Help “Extinguish Hunger” with VBFD

“Extinguish Hunger” is the Virginia Beach Fire Department’s year-round campaign, in partnership with the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, to collect nonperishable food items. All Virginia Beach fire stations, Fire Administration, the Fire Prevention Bureau, and the Harry E. Diezel Fire Training Center serve as drop sites for food donations. Consider donating nonperishable goods for families in need. VBFD will arrange for transport of all food to the foodbank for distribution.

Launched in March 2017, the campaign began as an effort to help Virginia Beach residents who were directly impacted by Hurricane Matthew in October 2016.