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Free Preschool is available to income eligible families in Gloucester County. The Bridges Head Start preschool program at TC Walker Educational Building has openings for the upcoming school year. The program is for 3-4-year-old children that live in Gloucester County. Children that turn five after September 30, 2018, are eligible as well. Bridges Head Start provides free breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack for its students. There are no expenses and all materials are provided. Every child receives a variety of learning experiences to foster intellectual, physical, social and emotional growth. Daily activities are enriched by field trips and community helpers such as the public library’s Book Mobile staff. The program is licensed by the state of Virginia and monitored by the federal government Office of Head Start. It is a comprehensive family services program that supports families in getting their children off to a good start.
Call the Parent-Child Development Corporation (PCDC) right away to set up an application appointment. West Point office phone number is 804-843-2289.
Point of contact person:
Mike Knez- Family Advocate
Bridges Head Start- TC Walker Centers
804-824-4357 cell
mknez@pcdcva.org
While current projections indicate the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula may avoid the worst of Hurricane Florence, we also know that the region is likely to experience significant rain and high winds. This may lead to additional flooding, downed trees and power lines, and personal property damage. Above all, we encourage all of our partners – individuals and organizations alike – to heed warnings, get prepared and place your personal safety as the highest priority.
State and local officials have declared states of emergency ahead of the storm’s arrival to boost preparedness efforts and to mobilize emergency managers and response teams so they can respond quickly once the impact of the storm is known. On a personal level, you are encouraged to make your own plans to ride out the storm.
For more details on steps you can take to be ready for Hurricane Florence or a future disaster, please visit www.vaemergency.gov or www.ready.gov.
Many people are compelled to help following a disaster. It is important to ensure that your time and resources are spent in response to actual needs and that they do not hinder response efforts.
How and where to donate:
As with most disasters, there are both immediate and long-term needs in affected communities. National early response and recovery organizations rely on donations to fuel their work and we will share information about what they are doing and how to help.
Similarly, we believe local community foundations are uniquely positioned to understand and identify the specific needs of their service areas, and they partner with trusted nonprofit partners to address and monitor longer-term response efforts over time.
Upon landfall, we will share more detail about efforts to address needs in our area. We will also collect information about response efforts in communities hardest hit by the storm and connect you with their community foundations.
Need more information?
We are here for you. Please call us if you have any questions and visit our website for future updates.
After nearly 20 years serving as Regional Affiliate Director, Margaret Nost has announced her plans to retire at the end of January. She first joined the staff of the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond in 2002 in a part-time role to shepherd the early growth and development of three regional affiliate foundations – the Gloucester Community Foundation, the Mathews Community Foundation, and the River Counties Community Foundation – established between 1996 and 2001 to serve five counties in the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck.
With a background in banking and an inherent ability to connect with people, Margaret was the right fit from the start. Community foundations were flourishing in cities across the country at the time but were lesser known or understood in rural communities. Working closely with the volunteer boards, Margaret expanded outreach, built trust within the community, and championed the community foundation as a strategic partner that brings deep community knowledge and expertise to helping donors achieve their charitable goals and to community organizations seeking to fulfill their missions.
Under Margaret’s leadership, the Gloucester, Mathews and River Counties Community Foundations now steward over 240 donor-established funds with assets totaling $56 million. This has translated into $23 million in cumulative grant support to a wide range of important community programs and initiatives in the arts, education, the environment, health care and so much more. This year marked a milestone as their respective community impact grant programs combined to award over $1 million for the first time.
“Margaret is the face of the Community Foundation in Gloucester, Mathews, Lancaster, Middlesex and Northumberland Counties,” said Sherrie Armstrong, CEO of the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond, which provides financial and administrative support for the affiliate foundations. “We join these communities in honoring Margaret’s dedication to and vision for philanthropy in the region and her ability to build partnerships for the greater good. We are grateful for her leadership and enduring friendship and we wish her all the best for a happy, healthy and much deserved retirement.”
As the regional affiliates have experienced this explosive growth, the local staff team grew to include Regional Affiliates Officer, Lincoln Boykin, and Regional Administrative Associate, Ashleigh Elliott. At this important time of transition, the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond and its Affiliates are pleased to announce that Lincoln will move into the role of Director of Affiliate Foundations starting January 1. Since joining the team in February 2020, he has overseen community grantmaking and outreach to nonprofit and community partners across the five counties. He has proven to be a strategic fit for the role and has earned the approval of the Affiliate Foundation’s Board Chairs in moving to the Director position. Previously, Lincoln served as Associate Director of Philanthropy and Board Relations at American Rivers.
Margaret Nost has a heart of gold and, in many ways, she has been the heart of the communit(ies) she has served. In honor of her hard work, dedication to the mission, and compassion for others, the Community Foundation is establishing the Margaret Nost Heart of the Community Fund - an endowed fund that will be used to support annual grantmaking for all three affiliate community foundations.
If you wish to honor Margaret in this way, you may make an online contribution using the link below or make a grant recommendation from your donor advised fund.
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