VIRGINIA BEACH — An initiative to end homelessness in the city is giving away signed guitars from country artists like Rascal Flatts to legendary hard rockers KISS, and more for a fundraiser tagged as “Tune it Up.”
Nonprofit foundation, VB Home Now, is leading the campaign until Oct. 22 to sell $1 raffle tickets for a chance to win one of 10 guitars autographed by artists who performed this summer at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater.
There’s no limit on the number on raffle tickets a contributor can buy which increases their chances of winning a guitar and the number of dollars toward the organization’s efforts to “support the work at the Virginia Beach Housing Resource Center,” officials said in a news release Thursday.
Funds raised from Tune it Up would serve as “flexible financial resources,” a means of support Erin Walker, VB Home Now’s resource development coordinator, said are lacking in the community.
“Those funds could be used for rental arrears, utility arrears, security deposits, transportation costs and other things that could just help eliminate some barriers,” she said.
VB Home Now is a nonprofit with a mission to prevent and end homelessness in Virginia Beach, and with their private-public partnership with the city, the foundation steps in where government funds can’t, Walker said.
“A lot of government funding demands they serve the most vulnerable people in the community but sometimes families have a series of unfortunate events,” she said. “They just need that one month’s rent to stabilize their housing crisis so they don’t experience the trauma of becoming homeless, losing all their belongings, or not knowing where they’re going to sleep at night.”
In 2018, and within the first year of their partnership with VB Home Now, the city’s Housing Resource Center provided shelter for 501 people and 203 people were prevented or diverted from experiencing homelessness.
This year, Walker said the organization funded community grants like the Virginia Beach Education Foundation’s Beach Bag Program which provided 133 students experiencing homelessness with shelf-stable food to sustain them during weekend and holiday breaks.
With a limited number of raffle tickets available for each guitar, those vying for a chance to win one should click here before Oct. 22 at 1 p.m. to have their chance — winners will be notified on Oct. 23.
Guitars autographed by these artists are up for grabs:
- Luke Bryan
- Chris Young
- KISS
- Florida Georgia Line
- Blink 182
- Train & Goo Goo Dolls
- Rascal Flatts
- Thomas Rhett
- Hootie & the Blowfish
- Zac Brown Band
