Operation Fix It ‘Rolls’ Out Relief for Richmond’s Homeless

by | Oct 4, 2019 | RICHMOND POLITICS

A trifecta of Richmond-area business have teamed up to make a sizeable donation of basic household items to homelessness support organization HomeAgain.

Recently, three Richmond-area businesses joined forces to create “Operation Fix It” — a small business initiative that organized a donation of over 1,000 rolls of paper towels to a local shelter.

HomeAgain is a Richmond-based organization that helps families and individuals experiencing homelessness secure and maintain housing.  Paper towels, along with other basic household items, are usually budgeted items that HomeAgain pays for out of pocket. But 91 cents of every dollar donated to the organization goes directly to their housing programs, so every donation they receive helps them focus on funding those programs.

Lorae Ponder, HomeAgain’s executive director, said the generosity of the donation will have a sizeable impact on the organization’s day-to-day operations.

“Although 1,000 rolls of toilet paper may seem like something trivial to the average Richmonder,” Ponder said, “it’s not something people experiencing homelessness take for granted. We couldn’t be more thankful for this generous donation.”

In 2018, HomeAgain provided housing to 768 men, women, children, seniors, and veterans. 74% of individuals exited HomeAgain services directly into stable, affordable housing.

Operation Fix It was created by the partnership of the Linchpin Real Estate Group, Ambrose Chiropractic, and The Great Big Everything (TGBE). TGBE is a creative consulting group geared towards creating futures for nonprofits and community organizations.

Prabir Mehta, owner of TGBE, said the organization hopes the efforts of Operation Fix It become a yearly event.

“The dream is to get enough small businesses together to help some of our nonprofits feel less stressed about some of their day-to-day needs,” Mehta said, “so they can focus on doing what they do best – serving their missions.”

For more information on The Great Big Everything’s efforts, visit their website or follow them on facebook.

Photo courtesy The Great Big Everything

Owen FitzGerald

Owen FitzGerald

Hi, everyone! I'm a lifelong Richmonder who loves this city and the people in it. I will be graduating from VCU in December with my degree in digital journalism. I'm passionate about the environment and giving a voice to people who can't be heard on their own.




more in politics

Andy Ngo is Obsessed with Confederate Statues

This article has been edited to correct the timeline of events since its publishing. The Commonwealth Club, on September 15, contacted RVA Magazine to report they had canceled hosting the Andy Ngo event due to a conflict of interest with the values of the club and...

NO MEANS NO CASINO Street Interviews

Local Francesca Lyn ventured into the community to interview residents about the impending Richmond, VA casino referendum, gathering their perspectives on why they believe it may not be in Richmond's best interest. https://youtu.be/q1cBF2Mp_Bg Remember to VOTE NO...

Walking is Dangerous in Richmond and Getting Worse

“The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status, or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we all believe that we are above-average drivers.” — Author Dave Barry Richmond, I know you're not trying to hurt me,...

Goad Gatsby’s Dystopian Update For September 2023

Tracking the far-right extremists of Virginia. Explore his latest reporting HERE. Family behind proposed “Sage’s Law” files lawsuit. Earlier this year, Delegate Dave LaRock carried the bill that passed the House of Delegates by a partisan 52-48 vote but...

Hey Richmond, How Are We Betting on this Casino?

Ah, Richmond—where history, culture, and community converge. A city where the clash of new and old offers fertile ground for debate. Well, hold on to your seats, River City, because we're about to roll the dice on our future once again. Just three years ago, we...

Pin It on Pinterest