By Erica Holmes, MS, CHC – Senior Director, Flagler Housing & Homeless Services A record-breaking number of people are facing homelessness or housing poverty as rents continue to rise amidst the national shortage of affordable housing. Families confronted by traumatizing events like eviction don’t always know where to seek assistance, especially without natural supports to help. The Villa’s Flagler Housing & Homeless Services team is trained to meet our neighbors ...Read More
Oshun had barely finished high school before facing nights sleeping on the street. Kicked out of her parents’ home at 18 years old, she was left to assume responsibility for herself with nowhere to go and few she could trust. It was a scary time. While staying at a shelter, Oshun met with her church pastor and shared her situation. Her pastor referred her to the Villa’s Flagler Housing Resource ...Read More
For 40 years, Mr. Davis lived alone, homeless, under a bridge. He remembers a happy childhood with loving and supportive parents, and as one of three siblings, he'll tell you he was the baby of the family. But as a teenager, he suffered the unbearable loss of his mother to cancer, followed by the passing of his father one year later. Overwhelmed with grief, Mr. Davis could no longer focus ...Read More
While responding to COVID-19, the community of Crater Region/Petersburg, Virginia came together to reach functional end veteran homelessness — now it is working to sustain it. When the pandemic hit the Crater Region of Virginia, the community was faced with even more barriers to ending homelessness and keeping communities safe. Luckily, the community was able to lean on a strong network to focus on ending veteran homelessness with the accountability ...Read More
For people experiencing homelessness, getting to a COVID-19 vaccine clinic can prove difficult, especially without internet and transportation. When you consider that most local vaccine sites require a form of photo identification in order to receive a vaccination, it can be nearly impossible for many of our clients. As lead agency of the Crater Area Coalition on Homelessness (CACH), St. Joseph’s Villa participated in video conference brainstorming sessions with local ...Read More
The pandemic has magnified the challenges families face when experiencing housing instability, from food insecurity to accessing community resources. In a commentary published by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Villa CEO Kathleen Burke Barrett addresses the need for a more holistic approach to end poverty: "For most of us, 2020 was a tough year. For those who are in poverty facing housing insecurity, the fear and stress were overwhelming. The issue of homelessness ...Read More
St. Joseph’s Villa, a 30-year provider of housing and homeless services in central Virginia, has been selected to receive a $1.25 million grant from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund. “We are exceedingly honored and grateful to be entrusted with this transformational grant, which will impact thousands of our neighbors in need of safe and stable housing,” said Kathleen Burke Barrett, CEO of St. Joseph’s Villa. “The Villa is committed ...Read More
The Virginia Housing Alliance (VHA) and local partners have announced the availability of AmeriCorps VISTA Member positions to support planning groups and service providers responsible for ending homelessness in Virginia. Our Flagler Housing Resource Center in Petersburg is one of the sites seeking a full-time AmeriCorps VISTA Member. St. Joseph’s Villa serves as the lead agency for the Balance of State Continuum of Care for the Crater Area Coalition on Homelessness (CACH). The ...Read More
When Clarence lost his home, he lost his self-esteem with it. He felt so ashamed of having nowhere to stay that he cut ties with his family for eight years. "I didn't want my children to know I was homeless all that time," said Clarence. "I didn't want them to see me the way I was. When you get to be my age, you don't like asking people for things." ...Read More
Few things test the strength of a relationship like the possibility of becoming homeless. Young couple Aaron and Brianna faced such a test when they moved into his mother's apartment to avoid living on the street. But the situation was dire. Aaron's mother was in and out of the hospital with health issues, and the apartment was virtually uninhabitable with mold and caved-in ceilings. Eventually they were evicted with nowhere ...Read More
