About

Within the past year, the city of Richmond has seen a 10% increase in its homeless population and this percentage is only set to increase in the next few years. Nearly 500 people have been forced out of their homes or lost their jobs and left abandoned to sleep on the streets. Richmond is quickly becoming a metropolis, but with its increase in popularity, there comes a dark side. In the past, Virginia’s laws were discriminatory against renters, providing landlords with far too much power. In fact, Richmond has the second-highest eviction rate in the country. While there is only so much we can do to help, PennyAppeal at VCU has made it our mission to help relieve poverty in any way we can.

Personal Story

After speaking with a few homeless members in the community,​ one woman spoke out and told us her story. In respect of her privacy and choosing to remain anonymous, she asked us to call her Ms. Righteous. She is a resident of Richmond city and ended up finding herself in an unfortunate situation. She had several issues with the house she was renting out, could not continue to afford to transport herself between her three jobs, and found herself sleeping out on the streets. Ms. Righteous, however, told us that she is not upset with the fact that she is homeless and believes that it is what God has written for her. She wants everybody to know that kindness is the most important quality to have in life. "Never hold a grudge against anybody... it is one of my biggest regrets in this world and I just want everybody to be kind to one another." She hopes to inspire others to be selfless and kind through her personal experiences. 

Our Mission

Our goal with PennyAppeal at VCU is to alleviate these people from some of the anxieties and distresses that they face on a daily basis. We feel it is our duty as citizens of Richmond to help others. VCU is an excellent school for community involvement because we are such a central part of the city. However, it can be far too easy to ignore the problems going on around us. PennyAppeal at VCU seeks to support the greater Richmond community through service projects and outreach. We support them by hosting biweekly service events and pass out Blessings Bags that include some necessities that one needs in their lives. Everyone has the right to maintain basic proper hygiene such as having a shower, using the restroom properly, washing one’s hands, etc. Nobody chooses to be homeless, people are forced to be in these unfortunate situations, but things can be better. We ask that you consider making any kind of donation in order to help some of these members of the community.

What your funds will go towards:

• $5 will supply a hygiene kit to one person, including dental supplies, feminine products, hand sanitizer, etc.

• $10 will supply hygiene kits to two people
  

• $25 will provide a backpack to a person that will last 1 month

• $50 will go towards providing meals for five people 

• $100 will provide four people with a backpack full of supplies for 1 month

Now is the time and these people need your help. Anything helps, either by making a charitable donation to this cause or by sharing this link to all your family and friends. Rise to the occasion and make a difference in someone’s life. Help us to Relieve Richmond today.

Follow Us on Social Media

To see more of the current projects we do, please follow us on our social media links down below. We thank everyone for their generous contributions in advance.