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Local Government & Politics

Struggling financially from COVID-19 in Virginia Beach? These organizations may be able to help.

The Virginian-Pilot
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Volunteers pack goods into a box at the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore in Norfolk Friday morning July 31, 2020. Sentara Healthcare, Truist and the Federation of Virginia Food Banks started a initiative to provide free meals to families during the pandemic. The "We Care" COVID-19 Virginia Emergency Food Support Plan features a five day food supply and will be distributed through Virginia’s seven regional food banks and their associated partners.

Volunteers pack goods into a box at the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore in Norfolk Friday morning July 31, 2020. Sentara Healthcare, Truist and the Federation of Virginia Food Banks started a initiative to provide free meals to families during the pandemic. The "We Care" COVID-19 Virginia Emergency Food Support Plan features a five day food supply and will be distributed through Virginia’s seven regional food banks and their associated partners. (Jonathon Gruenke/Daily Press)

Virginia Beach — On Tuesday, the Virginia Beach City Council allocated $8.4 million to United Way and three nonprofit partners in an effort to help people and businesses struggling to make ends meet as a result of COVID-19.

In October, the city gave the same four organizations — United Way of South Hampton Roads; the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore; Hampton Roads Workforce Council; and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Hampton Roads — a total of $8 million to assist businesses and people in need of financial assistance and job training. The council had selected nonprofits with experience providing aid instead of distributing the cash itself.

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By December, demand exceeded expectations and the nonprofits ran out of pandemic aid, said Michele Anderson, the president at United Way of South Hampton Roads. Earlier this month, Anderson and the other groups returned to the council asking for more.

United Way, with help from its partners, plans to direct $6 million to financial assistance and food for families, and $2.42 million will be used to provide an additional 242 small business grants.

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Late last year, the groups received a total of 2,800 requests for assistance. More than 1,000 people asked for food, housing, or help paying for utility bills.

Ruth Jones Nichols, president of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, said more than 36,000 individuals in Virginia Beach experienced food insecurity before the start of the pandemic. She estimates that number has now grown to more than 51,000 people.

Another 680 individuals sought job training through the Hampton Roads Workforce Council.

Additionally, 414 small businesses met requirements to receive $10,000 grants from Local Initiatives Support Corporation Hampton Roads, but the city provided enough money for 174 recipients.

Christine Morris, executive director for Local Initiatives Support Corporation Hampton Roads, said the $2.4 million earmarked for small business grants, will allow the rest of those businesses to receive money. Morris said 60% of the Virginia Beach businesses who applied are owned by women, while 54% are minority-owned businesses. Those grant applications have already been reviewed so no new applications will be funded with this new round of money, Morris said.

Anyone interested in assistance should inquire through the VB Pandemic Relief Partnership website: https://vbrelief.org/.

Alissa Skelton, 757-995-9043, alissa.skelton@pilotonline.com.

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