Deborah Eves (holding check above) successfully pitched Shalom Farms and won the majority vote at the Richmond  City Giver's October meeting.  River City Givers is excited to gift $6,300 to this organization. Shalom Farms works with communities to ensure access to healthy food and to support healthy living. With our funds, Shalom Farms is able to hire another farmer-in-residence which enables them to expand their growing operations by an additional acre, and greatly increase the food and educational impact to our communities.

"We believe everyone should have good food-- food that is good for our bodies, good for the environment, and good for our communities. However, thousands in Richmond lack access to healthy food. Many people also lack the tools and resources to cook it, eat it, and share it. Through sustainable agriculture and hands-on experiences, Shalom Farms works with communities to ensure access to healthy food, and the support to lead healthy lives." 

​Visit their website at shalomfarms.org

We are thrilled to announce the Network of Enterprising Women (N.E.W.) Scholarship Fund is the recipient of funds from our July meeting. They will receive $6,300 for their work in our community ($100 from each of 60 members plus $300 additional from a member passionate about the cause!).  
​
The Network of Enterprising Women (N.E.W.) was started in 1988 by Shirley Wagner and Debbie Johnston, two professional businesswomen seeking to build a women’s networking group meeting on a monthly basis.  These two women, joined by several others, met in a small local restaurant.  Eventually, the group expanded and the meeting location moved to a larger restaurant.  Along the way, N.E.W. became a nonprofit organization, with a board of directors, which hosts many events outside the monthly networking luncheon.

The main goal of N.E.W. is to assist and encourage women who desire to become established in business, and to promote and foster the exchange of knowledge and understanding of methods for success in establishing and maintaining a business.

Funds from River City Givers will support the N.E.W Scholarship Fund which provides multiple $1,000 scholarships to area high school senior girls to help offset costs.

Learn more about N.E.W. by visiting their website: www.networkofenterprisingwomen.org

6/8/17 (Richmond, VA) – Earlier this week, River City Givers, Richmond’s newest women’s philanthropy group, presented their second local donation, a check for $5,300 to Sheriff C.T. Woody, Jr. for the non-profit REAL Life. 
The donation will help bolster rehabilitation, recovery, and re-entry efforts post release and build upon skills learned in the Recovering from Everyday Addictive Lifestyles (REAL) Program. 

“REAL Life is there to help those residents who participated in the REAL Program once they leave the Richmond Justice Center,” said Sheriff Woody.  “These men and women face many obstacles once they are released; just because they are out of jail does not mean their lives will automatically get better.  While they have been given a great foundation through their work in the REAL Program, many of these residents have no choice but to return to the same environment they were in before they became incarcerated. There is a financial component necessary for things like transportation, housing scholarships, and job training.  We are extremely grateful for this generous donation from River City Givers; it will be put to good use, and will benefit the Richmond community in the long run.”

With 53 current members and the goal of reaching 100, River City Givers donates $100 per person each quarter to a charity voted on by members. “River City Givers is thrilled to support the amazing work of the REAL Life Program,” said Angie Strickland, co-founder of River City Givers.  “After a powerful presentation by one of our members, Nikki Nicholau, our membership voted to support this organization and we are excited to help further their mission.”
​
A representative from the REAL program will be in attendance at the next River City Givers meeting on July 18, 2017 to further explain how the funds are being used.  

We are thrilled to announce the recipient of funds from our first meeting!  With 42 members, it was a great success!  We are happy to support the good work the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust is doing in our community.  If you haven't joined River City Givers, we welcome you to complete the commitment form and join us for our April meeting.  All active members are invited to nominate a charity for consideration!

The Maggie Walker Community Land Trust (MWCLT) was formed in November, 2015, based on a best practice model that has been used in more than 40 states since 1992. Community Land Trusts are nonprofit organizations that acquire land parcels with the intention of retaining ownership forever.  Here’s how CLTs work:

• The CLT constructs or rehabilitates houses on the land and then sells the houses to qualified home buyers.
• Because the land cost is not included in the sale price of the house, the house is affordable for home buyers who earn low to moderate incomes, making home ownership possible.
• The CLT structure protects the homeowner’s security, privacy, legacy and equity, while also maintaining the CLT’s interest in preserving affordable housing opportunities in perpetuity. 
• CLTs also offer communities protection against gentrification and blight, and encourage mixed income neighborhoods.

The MWCLT is currently acquiring land and developing plans for its first four homes, with a focus on the Church Hill area.  Funding from the River City Givers will be used for education and outreach to build community support and recruit the CLT’s first home buyers.