Dear Whomever This May Concern, I am an Early Childhood Special Educator in Albemarle County Public Schools and I fully support the funding and construction of an inclusive playground in Charlottesville. I would absolutely bring my future classes to this playground on field trips, as well as utilize it for family events and encourage parents…
My daughter was born with a spinal defect called Sacral Agenesis. Her spine terminates early. This affects the growth, strength and mobility of her hips, legs, knees and feet. She also has a complex heart defect where her heart has many anomalies. She can walk with a walker, but her heart will not allow her…
On Our Own’s mission is to provide free peer support, self-help, education, guidance, and referral services for adults who acknowledge that they are experiencing significant problems in their lives due to mental health and substance use challenges. The goal at On Our Own is not to “fix” anyone. We have thirty years of experience helping people…
Hogs & Kisses believes that all animals deserve love and respect, even the ones that typically end up on plates. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit farm sanctuary with the mission of creating the best possible life for farm animals while inspiring compassion for all living beings. The founder, Anne Molina, has been vegan for a…
Grub4Good Project – Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge (BBBSCBR) in partnership with the Chris Long Foundation delivered hundreds of meals to the community during the months of April and May. Over seven weeks and with the help of 21 staff and volunteers, BBBSCBR and the Chris Long Foundation have delivered 2,260 meals. This project has fed people and…
In March 2020 face-to-face contact halted indefinitely. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge program team has responded to shifting expectations. All BBBS matches began to meet “virtually”. This could look like phone calls, video chats, letters, text messages or care packages. Match support contacts and surveys are continuing as usual to ensure quality and safety standards being…
What is was like waiting to be matched with each other? Marc Paulo: I loved the on-boarding and training process prior! BBBS was so thorough and holistic in the matching process that I felt confident about it even though I was very excited and somewhat nervous about whether or not he would like me or if…
For many students at the James C. Hormel School, learning extends beyond academic subjects to cover daily living skills and job skills. Before COVID, K____ and other students had opportunities to practice those skills in internships in the community. K____’s mother reports that these vocational skills translate directly into benefits at home: “Whenever he gets…
Transportation makes a difference in people’s lives. No matter the quality of health care, the enjoyment from a social activity, or the wages from a job, people always have to get somewhere. While most people can afford to ride Jaunt, some can’t. They need help to maintain their connections with their community. If we could wax…
By Willie Dodson It is well-documented that breathing in silica dust, also known as quartz, is a prime culprit in the ongoing epidemic of complicated black lung disease, but regulations protecting coal miners from this dangerous substance are weak. With one in five Central Appalachian coal-miners who have worked 25 years or more underground now afflicted…