NEWPORT NEWS — A crowd of volunteers, dignitaries, business leaders and local citizens joined THRIVE Peninsula to celebrate the ribbon cutting of the organization’s new headquarters on Tuesday, March 19.
“If we were going to stamp one word on this building, I would say it would be ‘community’ because the community put this together for the community,” stated Angela York, Executive Director of THRIVE, during the ceremony.
THRIVE Peninsula officially moved into the new space on November 20, when the building was still under construction and the organization opted to delay the ribbon cutting until the work was completed.
THRIVE Peninsula is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to assisting Virginia Peninsula individuals and families through difficult times, addressing both essential living needs like food, housing and utilities, and the unique crises affecting each person. The volunteer-driven coalition helps coordinate community resources for what it calls a “tailored, integrated response.”
THRIVE’s new space allows for many new opportunities to reach community needs.
The Peninsula’s first free grocery store, The Market at THRIVE presented by Food Lion is serving over 2,000 food-insecure people per month. Residents of Newport News, Hampton and York County are eligible to visit the store every 30 days, by appointment only.
The Garden at THRIVE funded by Riverside provides produce to feed The Market and will host educational opportunities for families to learn and grow.
Additionally, a partnership with REACH Reads Inc. offers a selection of new books for children and youth from its Free Bookstore.
The new building also houses a financial wing that offers free financial coaching, and emergency financial assistance to struggling households as well as a conference room that seats up to 50 people, aims to host workshops and classes to help members of the community obtain training and resources.
“This has been a collective effort. The community coming together to provide for each other,” said Caroline Dutle, Director of Development.
