Join Our Community of One Making Homelessness Rare, Brief & Nonrecurring

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Since 1984, Virginia Beach has been committed to ending homelessness through a tapestry of faith, City and nonprofit organizations working together. There are many ways you can support this communitywide effort, from joining our community partnership or making a contribution to our new foundation, to donating blankets or volunteering your time. Learn how you can get involved by clicking the tabs below.

 Community of One Plan
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Community of One CoverOn Oct. 17, 2017, City Council vot​ed to adopt Community of One as the City's strategic plan to address homelessness for 2017-2020.  The plan is the collective work of faith, City, and nonprofit organizations, and represents the vision of the entire community to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring.​ 

Community of One builds upon and expands the previous Strategic Plan​ to End Homelessness adopted by the City Council in 2013. This updated plan incorporates progress to date, new research, and addresses the following key items: 

  • The opening of the Housing Resource Center, a one-stop-shop of essential services, shelter, and housing, that is scheduled to open at 104 N. Witchduck Road in the spring of 2018​​
  • Enhancements to the service system that have been implemented to unite the faith community, City agencies, and nonprofi​t service providers as one coalition for ending homelessness
  • Integrating best practices and input from our community partners for our service system​

 Join
If the relationship between City, faith, and nonprofit organizations is a tapestry, then the BEACH Community Partnership is the thread that connects these entities together. ​BEACH, which stands for Bringing an End to All City Homelessness, is a voluntary association of all individuals and organizations who want to be a part of the community effort to end homelessness, and is the heart of our unified coalition. Since its creation in 2009, the partnership has grown to include representation from more than 30 faith, City, and nonprofit organizations, and various subcommittees that plan and implement projects in key focus areas.

For more information about BEACH, visit www.beach-cp.org​.

 Give

Help Make a House a Home

​​​Housewarming Donation Drive (July 30 - August 17, 2018)

Many individuals moving directly from shelter or off the streets into housing do not have the basic items they need to make a fresh start in their new home. You can help welcome formerly homeless individuals into their new homes at the Virginia Beach Housing Resource Center and in the community by donating a move-in kit. 

Bedding, bath, kitchen and cleaning kits with new, full-sized items are needed. Complete kits are most helpful but any quantity of the items below are appreciated:

Bedding Kit

  • Twin sheets
  • Twin blankets
  • Pillow
  • Twin comforter

Bath Kit

  • Bath towel
  • Hand towel
  • Wash cloths
  • Toilet brush
  • Plunger ​

​Kitchen Kit

  • Small pot with Lid
  • Small frying pan with lid
  • 4 plastic glasses
  • 4-piece dish set
  • 4-piece flatware
  • Can opener
  • Large serving spoon
  • Large serving fork
  • Dish towel

Cleaning Kit

  • Glass cleaner
  • Dish soap
  • Toilet cleaner
  • Disinfectant cleaning product
  • Multipurpose cleaner
  • Small bleach
  • Small laundry detergent
  • Package of sponges
  • Broom
  • Dust pan/brush set

Donations can be dropped off at any Virginia Beach recreation center​:

  • Bayside Recreation Center, 4500 First Court Road
  • Bow Creek Recreation Center, 3427 Club House Road
  • Great Neck Recreation Center, 2521 Shorehaven Drive
  • Kempsville Recreation Center, 800 Monmouth Lane
  • Princess Anne Recreation Center, 1400 Nimmo Parkway
  • Seatack Recreation Center, 141 S. Birdneck Road
  • Williams Farm Recreation Center, 5252 Learning Circle
The donation drive is a partnership between Virginia Beach Housing & Neighborhood Preservation and nonprofit Virginia Supportive Housing. Donations are tax-deductible. For more information, please contact Diane Hotaling​ at (757) 385-1278. 

​Other Ways to Give

Give to VB Home Now

VB Home Now is a new 501(c)(3) foundation to support and enhance our community system of services, programs, and facilities to prevent and end homelessness. The nonprofit's mission is to mobilize the community to help the neediest among us.​ The foundation achieves its mission by raising funds, accepting gifts and providing other resources in order to fill gaps in our community (e.g. health clinic, housing units, prevention services, transportation, etc.).

VB Home Now is leading the fundraising campaign to support the work at the Housing Resource Center and impact the lives of the people who will be assisted there.

By supporting VB Home Now, you will help reinvigorate our community's efforts to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring for many homeless families and individuals in Virginia Beach.

For more information about VB Home Now and how to donate, visit www.vbhomenow.org.​​

 Volunteer
​A limited number of volunteer opportunities are available to help supplement staff at the Housing Resource Center in the daily delivery of services to individuals and families experiencing a housing crisis. Volunteer positions include Housing Resource Center ambassadors, front desk receptionists, housing counselors, and program support. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age (or 16 years of age for a program support position, and pass a federal background check). Volunteers should be able to dedicate at least two days per week at the Housing Resource Center. Mandatory training sessions will be provided.

Positions will post on May 1 at www.vbgov.com/​volunteer.  Volunteers will be scheduled for training in June and help staff move in and set up at the Housing Resource Center beginning in mid-July. Positions will re-post in October, and quarterly thereafter.

For more information, contact Diane Hotaling at (757) 385-1278 or dhotalin@vbgov.com.
Contact Information