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FUNDRAISER: Local Artists & RVA Magazine Partner With FeedMore

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As loss of work affects Richmond’s local creative communities during coronavirus, artist Nico Cathcart and RVA Magazine come together to raise money for local artists and benefit FeedMore. 

There are no words to adequately express the anxiety and uncertainty we are all feeling at the moment. Richmond is a city that thrives on its independence, creativity, and collective enterprise — and the local arts community, the creative heartbeat of our city, is taking a hard hit from this loss of work. Our artists are an essential part of what makes Richmond such a special place to live, and after years of them bringing life and culture into our home, it’s our turn to give back. 

That’s why RVA Magazine has joined hands with muralist Nico Cathcart and K2 Custom Tees to start RVA Together: a fundraising drive for local artists to sell their designs on t-shirts, benefiting each artist and donating to FeedMore to help our city fight food insecurity in the wake of Covid-19.

SHOP NOW OPEN! Click here to buy merch to support our local artists. Supporters can choose their favorite print or artist to donate to, and every t-shirt sale benefits the artist, FeedMore, and the staff of K2 Custom Tees, who have generously offered to host the initiative. 

PHOTO: Design by Nico Cathcart

As we move forward, RVA Together will feature 5 artists during every two-week period, sending out purchased shirts and introducing a new set of artists as each new time frame begins. We’re kicking off the initiative with designs by Nico Cathcart (Instagram @nicocathcart), Nils Westergard (@nilsrva), Matt Lively (@mattlively), Hamilton Glass (@hamglass), Austin Miles (@auz_can), and an RVA Magazine (@rvamag) “RVA” logo shirt that supports our writers as they work tirelessly to spread community help despite cutbacks.

Every shirt will give $10 to the artist, $10 to K2 Custom Tees to supply the shirts and support their staff during printing, and a $5 donation to FeedMore. 

PHOTO: Design by Matt Lively

With the spread of Covid-19, it feels like our community has been thrown into disarray, and with it, our sense of stability and purpose. This is uncharted territory for each of us, and it is only appropriate to wonder what our city, state, country, and even the world will look like at the end of this… because if one thing is certain, it’s that it will not look the same. Knowing this, it’s more important now than ever for us to come together as a city and support our artists, creative culture, and small businesses.

Let’s preserve everything that makes Richmond “Richmond.” 

Please check out the RVA Together Initiative, and do what you can to help. RVA Magazine will continue to operate during Covid-19, as a community sounding board, as a distraction, and as a way to communicate pertinent information as it becomes available. However, like most small businesses, we are also struggling to keep our doors open during these complex times — and any little bit helps. 

PHOTO: Design by RVA Magazine

Along with all of our favorite local artists, an RVA Magazine shirt will remain available to support our staff during this time. RVA Magazine works through partnerships with the small businesses we all know and love, and as the future is uncertain for so many of our local friends, it becomes so for us as well. We will continue to uplift our local artists, musicians, and small businesses through initiatives like Eat Local! and RVA Together, and donations to us through RVA Together “RVA” shirt purchases, as well as our Patreon/PayPal, help keep us afloat. 

We are always available to speak with you, and we encourage you to reach out to us with any questions, concerns, or announcements you think are relevant. We wish all of you the very best during the upcoming weeks. 

And finally, practice social distancing! The sooner you do, the sooner we can all continue with our lives and re-join the culture of our beautiful River City.

PHOTO: Design by Hamilton Glass

PHOTO: Design by Nils Westergard
PHOTO: Design by Austin Miles

COVID-19: What Virginians Need To Know

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As the number of cases grows in the Commonwealth, Virginia is taking new precautions to limit the spread. Here are the best resources with live updates on the virus. 

As the COVID-19 virus spreads internationally and disrupts daily life, the world has been in a state of anxiety and panic, not knowing what to believe or how to react.

This article is intended to keep residents of the Richmond area and the Commonwealth of Virginia accurately informed on the facts, and to update readers on how Coronavirus is impacting the world, the nation, and the state. 

RELIABLE SOURCES

Local, state, and federal Health Departments, as well as university medical schools, are providing up-to-date websites for facts and figures pertaining to the current state of the virus.

The Center for Disease Control has opened an entire page dedicated to updates on all aspects of Coronavirus. The site lays out crucial information on several topics: 

The World Health Organization also provides updated information on the status of COVID-19 under their diseases tab, labeled Coronavirus Disease 2019. This site provides videos explaining the virus, a “situation dashboard” visually showing areas with cases, the latest news on the virus, and a link where one can donate to help fight the spread. 

FACTS ABOUT COVID-19

This novel coronavirus, otherwise referred to as COVID-19, is a new infectious disease never before seen in humans before the recent outbreak. It is believed to have spread from food markets in Wuhan, China. Coronaviruses are a family of illnesses affecting both humans and animals, causing respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. SARS and MERS are other well-known coronaviruses.

COVID-19 and the flu are similar in many ways, but also have crucial distinctions: both viruses are transmitted similarly, result in similar symptoms, and can be prevented in similar ways through hand washing and limiting social contact. While antiviral medicines and vaccines are available for the flu, no effective medicine or vaccine is available at this time for COVID-19.

Current infection and death rates can be found updated at The Washington Post (unlike most of the Post’s content, this article is available for free to non-subscribers), and it’s widely speculated that many more are infected than currently reported. This is due to lags in testing, but numbers are expected to grow as more tests become available in the U.S. According to experts, each COVID-19 sufferer infects between two to three others — a rate of infection twice as high as that of the flu. 

COVID-19 is also acutely different from the SARS outbreak in 2003. SARS was a much deadlier disease, but also less infectious. There have also been no SARS cases in 17 years. 

Symptoms of COVID-19 are typically mild for most people, and similar to those of the flu. They include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and other respiratory illness symptoms, as well as loss of appetite and diarrhea. The World Health Organization suggests that people with fever, cough, and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.

COVID-19 spreads from person to person when someone with the virus coughs, sneezes, or exhales onto objects and surfaces that another person touches. The virus can also spread if someone inhales droplets that are expelled by other people nearby who are infected. 

Many with COVID-19 only experience mild symptoms. It is believed that a person can have coronavirus anywhere from two to 14 days before they begin to show symptoms of the virus, according to the CDC.

Approximately 80 percent of people who contract the virus do not require serious medical attention. Those most likely to require medical attention include the elderly and those with underlying medical problems like lung disease, heart disease, or diabetes. 

COVID-19 IN VIRGINIA

Total cases reported in Virginia: As of March 19, there are 94 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Virginia, resulting in 19 hospitalizations and two deaths. Current numbers here.

For accurate information on how coronavirus is impacting the Commonwealth, the Virginia Department of Health has provided a resource for COVID-19 in Virginia. This page shows a map, statistics of the number of people tested, and confirmed cases by locality. It also hosts the latest information on what the state health department is doing for businesses, schools, community partners, individuals, and travelers.

The News Center at VCU Health provides updates on how the medical center is monitoring and handling the situation. Other top-level medical schools also give reliable information on the virus, including the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, the Coronavirus Resource Center from Harvard University, and the Coronavirus Information page from the University of California at Berkeley. 

Gov. Northam declared a state of emergency in Virginia on March 12, one day after the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global pandemic. The first case of COVID-19 in Virginia was detected on March 7. 

COVID-19 WORLDWIDE (UPDATED)

Situation reports are released by the World Health Organization daily, and they can be found here to view the most recent information.

Most countries have taken extreme measures to combat the virus, such as quarantines and travel restrictions. All 50 U.S. states have at least one confirmed case of COVID-19.

All foreign nationals from China, Iran, Canada, and most European nations are barred from entering the U.S., along with anyone who visited these countries within the last two weeks. U.S. citizens who return home must come through one of 13 designated airports. 

COVID-19 IN THE U.S. 

The White House has advised people to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people, and to stay at home. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam instituted a ban on gatherings of more than 10 in the Commonwealth, which mainly applies to places like theaters, restaurants, and gyms. Law enforcement personnel have the power to enforce it. New York Gov. Cuomo announced on Monday that gatherings would be limited to 50 in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. Non-essential services such as restaurants and theme parks have been closed across the country. 

Most K-12 schools, in addition to colleges and universities, have resorted to online teaching to avoid classrooms gatherings. Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia initially intended to stay open despite the outbreak, until the governor limited gatherings.

Congress and the White House are currently considering coronavirus stimulus packages, which would include anything from cash payments (ranging from $1,000 to $2,000) to Americans to corporate tax cuts intended to boost businesses affected by the outbreak. 

PREVENTION AND PROTECTION 

There are simple steps for people to take in order to reduce their chances of getting COVID-19. Thoroughly washing your hands and keeping them away from your face is the first precaution to take. Hand sanitizer is effective when you’re unable to wash your hands, but should not be the sole means of cleansing. Keeping a distance of at least six feet between yourself and others is recommended as well, in order to prevent breathing in droplets from others sneezing or coughing within spreadable reach of the virus.

Although many people have resorted to wearing disposable surgical masks for protection, these masks are not recommended. They don’t fit tightly, and may allow tiny infected droplets to get into the nose, mouth, or eyes. 

Taking antibiotics (which only protect against bacterial infections, not viral infections like coronavirus) and wearing multiple masks are also ineffective methods to protect yourself from COVID-19. It is still safe to order online packages, because the likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low — and so is the risk of catching the virus from a package that has travelled, and been exposed to different conditions. 

Stay up-to-date with the latest information via the Virginia Department of Health, CDC, and World Health Organization. And stay safe out there, Richmond.

To Bidet, Or Not To Bidet?

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If you’re counting pennies or just can’t find any toilet paper in the stores, it’s the bidet’s day today. The Internet has some DIY tutorials to upgrade your bathroom, so let’s have a laugh and get through this pandemic together. 

OK so, worst case scenario. That mighty fiend coronavirus has paid this country a visit, and while this pandemic may not be the dramatic, deadly plague or the flesh-eating disease we all conjured in our imaginations, it’s still a pretty serious issue. Accordingly, things have been getting pretty tense as COVID-19 spreads. Folks have been hitting the stores hard, taking everything they can get to quarantine themselves until it blows over (whenever that happens). So, maybe it’s a good idea to stock up… just in case. Either that, or you just really need to go grocery shopping.

Regardless, you head to the store for the basics: food, shampoo, toilet paper. But wait! As you turn into the TP aisle, you are shocked to find the shelves barren and woefully lacking in depictions of the Charmin Bears. You desire to be “clean,” but the cleanest thing in the world right now are the store shelves, and the behinds of those lucky enough to beat the toilet paper rush.

You probably already know by now, but this is no isolated incident. All over the country, TP has been flying off the shelves, as if every roll in the U.S. downed a Red Bull and grew wings. According to Business Insider, Walmart, Amazon, and Target all almost ran out of that cottony goodness last week. So, in this new post-corona world, where wealth is measured in toilet paper and Purell, what can a broke person do to keep their hygiene game on point? 

The answer: the bidet — that swanky French invention that does to your butt what power washers do to driveways. For the uninformed, it’s kind of like a mini-toilet that one sits on after using the main toilet. Once sat upon, the bidet promptly sprays the user clean with a jet of water. It’s fairly popular in countries like Japan, but here in the U.S., people don’t seem very fond of the idea. If the Buzzfeed video above is any indication, initial exposure to the bidet is met with shock and discomfort, followed by mixed responses from users.

But it’s not all cold water jets and uncomfortable sensations. Bidets actually have some luxurious qualities. The nicer models come with things like seat-warmers, warm water streams and blow-dryers. Some even have night lights for the valiant people who do their night-time business standing up. Bidets are also extremely hygienic, arguably better for the environment, and completely eliminate the risk of TP particulates being left behind. So, if you want to survive Coronavirus with not just a clean rear, but the cleanest rear in the solar system, then perhaps a bidet is right for you. 

Except that there’s one more problem. These things can be fucking expensive. Home Depot sells low-end bidets at around $200. High-end models can cost you $2,500. That’s a hard bargain just for a machine that does what your outdoor garden hose can do for free. 

Effective? Yes. Sanitary? Questionable. Watch here.

Luckily, for those who are broke and unwilling to bare themselves in front of the neighbors as part of the wiping process, there are alternatives. There are handheld nozzles and bidet-seat attachments on Amazon for as low as $20. These are simple contraptions which lack many of those luxurious features I mentioned earlier (unless you want to dish out more money). Still, they get the job done. 

But let’s say you’re really broke. Like, “I look at pictures of other food while I try to make my Top Ramen feel like more of a meal” broke. Then, once again, there are other options. Forbidden options. Well, perhaps not forbidden… but certainly morally, logically and hygienically questionable alternatives. These are the DIY options. 

(WARNING: Even if these work, I’m not insisting you try them. And if they don’t work, please don’t shoot the messenger.)

You can find them all over the Internet. Images of garden hoses, detachable shower heads, and squeezable water bottles, all modified to work as in-home bidets. The YouTube video above shows us a few ideas, and even teaches you how to make them. Obviously, he explores various versions of the squeeze-bottle design (which has the benefit of being portable). He uses everything from Dasani bottles to proper plastic canteens. However, I believe his most compelling design is in his modification of the dental oral irrigator, aka Waterpik. With some plastic tubing and some tape, this YouTuber fashions a fairly impressive product that looks as if it could spray with the best of them.

But while it looks effective enough, it is somewhat unsightly — and also begs the disturbing question, “Does he still use that Waterpik to clean his teeth?” We can only hope and pray that he does not. The idea certainly betrays the desire for hygiene, which I think is truly the essence of the bidet’s beauty.

This one looks a little too complicated.

Hopefully none of us are trapped in a situation which might necessitate the construction of one of these devices. I certainly feel like people should strive to have their rear-ends cleaned by something more noble than a shampoo bottle — it’s the bathroom equivalent of a college student converting an empty milk jug into a bong. But if every one of us was to be corona-quarantined for months, and our national toilet paper reserves become dangerously depleted, a person can hardly be judged for testing their natural ingenuity by making their recyclables into a valuable tool. It’s a small price to pay for the peace of mind that comes from having a clean bum.

Top Image via uclaeconomics/YouTube

The Dorm Room Hustle: Owning Fashion Companies in College

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Whether it starts as a side gig or a passionate new business, college students around the country are opening brands of their own before graduation. 

College students are not just students anymore. Many students around the country have jobs on top of their schoolwork to earn extra money. Some work as college tour guides, some work in school offices, and others have off-campus jobs. About 81 percent of undergraduate part-time students and 43 percent of undergraduate full-time students are employed, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

With tuition, books, meal plans, and additional costs, college is expensive. Luckily for Erin Watton, John McGrinder, and Anthony Moody, they work right out of their rooms — running fashion and apparel companies by themselves.

21-year-old Erin Watton, who hails from Milwaukee, WI, is currently a junior at the University of Richmond, and the sole talent behind e.xclusively: a hand-painted apparel company that sells custom painted designs on anything, including denim jackets and handbags for any occasion. 

Photo via e.xclusively on Instagram

Watton started e.xclusively after spilling ink on her favorite sweatshirt in printmaking class during her freshman year of college. “After covering up the ink with painted stars, I sent a photo to my friends,” Watton said. “They loved the sweatshirt, and begged me to paint theirs. Soon after, I realized I could create a small business out of this painting venture.”

e.xclusively officially started in the summer of 2018. Although Watton was working in retail at the time, she wanted more experience in fashion and marketing. “Because I had no experience of my own to offer in an internship, I created a learning experience for myself,” she said. “I have gained so much experience owning my own business, and I love doing it. If you can do something now and love it, why wait?”

Watton advertises her products through her Instagram, Pinterest, and website. “In the fashion industry, user-generated content and word-of-mouth are how people learn and trust brands,” she said. “For me, when my clients post photos in their custom, hand-painted pieces, their followers trust my business and may even follow along on social media, or purchase a piece themselves.”

With the growth of social media, Watton believes that 2020 is a great time to run a business as a student. New entrepreneurs can decrease their overhead expenses, reach people within their target audience quickly, and gain instant feedback on their products and services as well as content they produce, she said. 

Photo via e.xclusively on Instagram

Being a student is time-consuming, but Watton has found a balance between classes and work. When she isn’t in class, she is either at a client consultation, sketching and painting designs, posting Instagram content, or updating her website. “When I’m working on e.xclusively, it could be five minutes spent on a social media post or five hours spent painting,” she said. “It definitely depends on my schedule, my orders, and what my goals are at the moment.” 

John McGrinder is another student who runs his own business while managing classes and extracurriculars. Originally from Downingtown, PA, McGrinder is a sophomore at James Madison University, and the mind behind Renegade Sports.

Renegade Sports, a sports-focused apparel company, started in 2016 in McGrinder’s sophomore year of high school. The idea for the company arose from a class project with a friend, and was originally called Seal Team Sports. 

“My friend Evan knew I was involved in graphic design for sports Instagram pages for fun, but he asked me if I wanted to help him with a new project for his class,” McGrinder said. “I absolutely loved working with sports and designing, and it was a fun way to set aside some extra money for school while doing something I loved.”

PHOTO: Renegade Sports on Instagram

Similar to Watton, McGrinder mainly advertises his business through his Instagram. Most of his work is done on his phone or iPad because he makes the designs himself. “I have them with me in case I have an idea for a design while out on the go or at home,” he said. “With big brands like Barstool Sports out there, I always try to get my ideas onto my products and website as fast as possible, to be the first out there with my idea on a certain trend,” he said. 

McGrinder has a busy schedule as a student, but he finds time between classes at JMU and work to make designs. “I really work best when I’m inspired by a new player or trending team,” he said. “Not every day for me is involved with creating a design, but I’m always checking on my site, tracking sales, and keeping my eye on the sports world for new ideas.” 

Running a store in 2020 as a student allows McGrinder to use his brand as a creative outlet. On top of gaining experience, it allowed him to get involved in marketing before learning about it in any of his major-related classes. 

Renegade Sports also helped open doors into the marketing world as this past summer. McGrinder worked with the Denver Broncos Super Bowl 50 MVP, Von Miller, in creating some mock-ups for a shirt to commemorate his 100th sack in this past season. “Overall, running Renegade Sports has been so valuable to me in exploring business and marketing, but also in allowing myself to be more creative outside of schoolwork,” he said. 

PHOTO: Renegade Sports on Instagram

Another entrepreneur student, University of Richmond sophomore Anthony Moody, owns and operates his clothing company, Redeemed Generation. Moody started his brand when he was 13, and it has been steadily growing ever since. 

Moody’s day starts and ends with marketing, which he believes is the most important part of the business. “It’s all about connecting with influencers, commenting on posts, interacting with followers, and building the brand,” he said. “It makes a big difference when companies are active on Instagram, and have a page that really showcases the brand — so that’s really crucial for me.”

In addition to running all the marketing for his business on his Instagram and website, Moody also makes and prints everything in his room. “My room is full of presses, dryers, and paint, because I make it all,” he said. “I’m actually looking for a small office where I’ll be able to work. With the way the business has grown in terms of sales and inventory, it’s a lot to keep in my room.”

Photo via Redeemed Generation on Instagram

Moody originally found his love for art in elementary school, but pencils and paper weren’t enough for him. Being a student and a business owner has been a challenge, and the balance has been one of the most difficult things, “It’s worth it,” he said. “It’s my passion, and it’s what I love doing.” 

In addition to Redeemed Generation, Moody also prints clothes for outside groups like dance teams and class reunions. “With all the materials and machines I have in my room, as well as the skills I’ve gained from Redeemed Generation, expanding to print clothes for other people was not that big of a challenge,” he said. 

Redeemed Generation is mainly based out of Moody’s dorm room, because the presses and machines make it hard to travel in terms of production. His ideas and art, on the other hand, are constantly on his mind — regardless of where he is. 

Photo via Redeemed Generation on Instagram

“My brand has become my life,” he said. “A lot of people around me always plan and take on so much, working solely to build their resume. I just make clothes because I love them, and it’s a way for me to express myself.”

Overall, these three students are just a small glimpse into the larger world of student business owners. Students everywhere are starting their own companies on top of their already-stressful college lives. It’s time we give these students the recognition they deserve. While they’re going to class, doing homework, and writing papers, they’re also running the companies of the future. 

Top Photo via e.xclusively on Instagram

Fighting the Housing Crisis with HOME

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Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia sets sights on reform, working to change housing policy in the Commonwealth by informing the public through art. 

On chilly winter mornings, patrons begin gathering at the steps of the main branch of the Richmond Public Library to await its 10am opening. 

A security guard pulls open the doors, and as library guests begin funneling in, they are greeted first not by a bookshelf or a computer lab; instead, the first thing that visitors see when entering the library are two tall columns of brown blocks, with “EVICTION CRISIS” stenciled in white letters. They are surrounded by what appears to be bags of trash. Instead of bookshelves, visitors are entering an art exhibit, with doorknobs, keys, Monopoly homes, and broken outlets highlighting Richmond’s eviction rates on orange and black posters. 

Photo by Jason Boleman

The exhibit is a current project from Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, a Richmond-based organization whose mission is “to ensure equal housing access to all people.” Through advocating for legislation and community outreach, HOME of Virginia has its goals set on changing housing policies in the Commonwealth. 

In the current General Assembly session, HOME’s main concern has been adding sexual orientation and gender identity protections to the Fair Housing Act of Virginia. Both the House of Delegates and Senate versions of that bill passed their respective chambers on February 6. 

“We’ve been working almost two decades on that,” said Mike Burnette, Director of Communications for HOME. “That’s going to be a huge change. We have never moved the needle this far.” 

HOME’s other main legislative focus is House Bill 6, introduced by Del. Jeff Bourne, D-Richmond, which “adds discrimination based on a person’s source of income to the list of unlawful discriminatory housing practices.” The bill passed the House on February 7 and the Senate on March 3. 

Photo by Jason Boleman

HOME began in September 1971 to enforce the Fair Housing Act. Burnette says its biggest win as an organization came in 1982, when Havens Realty Corp. v. Coleman went to the Supreme Court of the United States. The ruling allowed anyone aware of a fair housing violation to sue, including “testers” who are looking for violations. 

“That really changed the way we do things, not just for housing organizations, but any other organizations that want to sue,” Burnette said. 

Today, HOME employs testers to act as prospective renters, in order to see if local landlords are complying with fair housing policies. 

Currently, the organization employs around 30 full-time employees, and is funded primarily by government grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as from state and local governments. Aside from those sources, Burnette said HOME receives funding from foundations, institutions, individual donors, and companies, including Wells Fargo, the only corporate sponsor of the “Eviction Crisis” art exhibit.

Photo by Jason Boleman

HOME president Heather Crislip said the organization will ensure equal housing access, and address the systemic barriers that prevent implementation of fair housing policies. 

As for the exhibit, Burnette says this current display is expected to at least ride through this full year, but did not rule out future art exhibits. 

“We’ll see what the next crisis is, or the next issue that we feel we need to raise up,” Burnette said. 

Scott Firestine, director of the Richmond Public Library, said the exhibit is among the best of his tenure. According to Firestine, the exhibit achieves the library’s mission to inform, enrich, and empower. 

“The best and most rewarding thing to happen as a librarian is that people are using this to become informed,” Firestine said. “Then they are asking, ‘What can I do?” 

Top Photo by Jason Boleman

Fighting For Shelter

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At Cathy’s Camp, homeless residents of Richmond face opposition from the local government — but advocates believe the city isn’t doing enough. 

Blessing Warriors RVA took action in November to counter Richmond’s homelessness problem themselves. Four months later, more than 100 homeless individuals are calling “Cathy’s Camp” their home.

Outside of a hypothermia shelter funded by the city along Oliver Hill Way, dozens of tents are set up to shelter Richmond’s homeless. The site is taking the place of former homeless shelters such as the Public Safety Building, which was criticized for poor conditions, and the Annie Giles Center in Shockoe Valley. 

Volunteers for Blessing Warriors RVA ensure that aid is given to those who reside at Cathy’s Camp, while other homeless service providers including Commonwealth Catholic Charities and The Daily Planet visit the site to find the people they serve and assist them. 

The encampment site is named in memory of Cathy Davis who, along with her friend Rhonda Sneed, had the idea of putting up the tents last year. Davis died in her sleep in late 2019, before the number of tents grew to 70. 

PHOTO: Cathy’s Camp by Rhonda Sneed, via Blessing Warriors RVA/Facebook

“The tent city is certainly not an ideal housing solution by any stretch of the imagination, but at least they are in a safe area where services can be delivered to them in one location,” said Shawnee Hansen, founder of Richmond Friends of the Homeless.

Other homeless advocates have a bleaker sentiment towards the situation, considering what Cathy’s Camp indicates for the city’s future.

“We as a community in Richmond are failing the people living in Cathy’s Camp, because living in tents is what they’ve been driven to,” said Allison Bogdanovic, Executive Director of Virginia Supportive Housing. “We’ve all failed.” 

Members of the organizations assisting Cathy’s Camp insist their efforts will continue, despite warnings and efforts to take down the tent city by the local government.

A letter sent to Sneed from Mayor Levar Stoney’s administration asked for the tents to be taken down, calling it a “grave safety risk” to the city and citing incidents of indecency and drug abuse. Another letter addressed to Sneed threatened to take down the tents if they were not removed before Jan. 31. The tents were never removed. 

Concerns from the city prompted a meeting held inside the shelter adjacent to Cathy’s Camp, where city officials spoke to residents of the tent city and its advocates about their futures. 

Ms. Betsy, a resident at Cathy’s Camp. Photo via Virginia Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality.

At the meeting, city officials introduced a new plan to combat the city’s homeless problem. The plan called for 150 emergency shelter beds, 300 additional supportive housing units, increased financial support to homeless providers, and financial support to prevent individuals from being evicted from homes. 

“So many Americans are isolated from the discussion of homelessness that all we see is a person panhandling,” said Michael Jones, 9th district Council member. “It’s not just a Richmond issue; it’s a country issue. We’re fine with people being homeless.”

Jones, who has been a part of Richmond City Council since 2017, expresses deep regret for Richmond’s failure to solve its homeless problem. Before running for office, Jones helped his church feed the homeless — until the city required a permit to do just that. 

“That was the closest thing to heaven I’ve ever been a part of, but the city said you had to pay for a permit to feed people,” said Jones. “They wanted to re-do Monroe Park, and I said, ‘Where can we feed people, then?’” 

Organizations and nonprofits have acknowledged the difficulty in combating homelessness due to the time and resources required. In March of last year, Virginia Supportive Housing was approved to convert a former nursing home in eastern Henrico into low-income housing for the homeless. 

“NO TRESPASSING” sign at Cathy’s Camp. Photo via Virginia Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality

According to the organization, the project will take another two years to complete, costing $20 million coming from 25 different financial sources. 

“There are still 550 people experiencing homelessness in the region,” said Bogdanovic. “People are waiting years to get into our programs. We know how to solve this problem, but there aren’t enough resources.”

Studies have found that investing in ending homelessness would yield benefits to society. A study done by the National Alliance to End Homelessness found investments in permanent supportive housing can decrease homelessness by 30 percent. The study also found that costs to taxpayers are reduced by 49.5 percent when supportive housing is provided to the homeless. 

“Across all programs, we have a 97 percent success rate. First someone has to have stability in a home, and know where they’re going to sleep tonight — then they can address other issues in life, like medical needs or going back to school,” said Bogdanovic. “If there’s no foundation of a home, then it’s harder to do those things.”

Mayor Stoney and the City of Richmond have sparked controversies in local funding projects. Stoney endorsed the Navy Hill development project, which provoked city-wide discussions over whether the $1.5 billion project would take funds away from the school system and other government programs. City Council canceled the deal in February.

“If we’re giving tax subsidies to families who are affluent, then what can we do for families who are not?” said Jones. “We, as a government, have an ability to help — and I’m tired of bumping my head against the wall not seeing that help happen.” 

Top Photo via Virginia Defenders For Freedom, Justice & Equality/Facebook