Our Mission
Empowers families experiencing homelessness in Chesterfield County, VA by providing comprehensive support and resources to foster stability and self-sufficiency.
Our Programs
- Resource Closets - We have established Resource Closets in Harrowgate Elementary School and Falling Creek Elementary School.
The Resource Closets are cabinets typically located in the Community-In-School Coordinator's office. Impact Chesterfield fills and refills the cabinets, and Community-In-Schools empties and re-empties them. About 85 students use the Resource Closets. Closets are refilled between once and twice a month.
- Material Needs - We receive requests from the Chesterfield County Public School (CCPS) McKinney-Vento Director seeking items for the homeless
students, such as clothing, beds, mattresses, tables, lamps, coats, food, etc. We have supplied items by canvassing members for used items or by seeking donations to purchase items.
- Temporary Lodging - When families who lose their permanent residence often need a few nights of lodging to resettle themselves. We received requests from the
CCPS McKinney-Vento Director, and we provide 1 to 3 days of lodging in a local hotel.
- Rent Security Deposit Assistance - Families who lose their permanent residence will stay in a hotel costing between $2550 and $3000 per month. Because of this high expense, families have difficulty saving the Rent Security Deposit required to transition out of the hotel. We assist
by providing some of the Rent Security Deposit. Families who re-establish themselves in permanent residence are no longer homeless. (SEE NOTE 1)
- Pastdue Rent Assistance/Eviction Prevention - We are able to provide very limited Pastdue Rent Assistance because of the enormous cost and our limited funding. (SEE NOTE 1 & 2)
NOTE 1 Referrals
Families who do not have a CCPS-McKinney-Vento or Community-In-School referral MUST first contact the Chesterfield Department of Social Services (CDSS) and complete an inquiry. Families can complete an online inquiry at https://www.cognitoforms.com/ChesterfieldCountyVA1/AssessmentAndResourceTeamInquiry
Or call 804-748-1198. It is important to note in any description box. “Impact Chesterfield requests this inquiry.”
NOTE 2 Decision Guidelines for Past-Due Rent/Eviction Prevention
- The recipient must be under or soon to be under an Eviction Notice.
- The recipient must show an account ledger showing a history of paying rent on time.
- The cause of the past-due rent is a one-time, short-lived disruption.
- The recipient has income, generally 3 times the rent payment, allowing them to maintain the rent payments going forward.
- The amount of the pastdue/eviction prevention is generally no more than 1 month’s rent.
Our Collaborations
Impact Chesterfield collaborates with:
Chesterfield County Public School McKenny-Vento - The McKinney-Vento Director enrolls and provides educational services to all students who lose their permanent residence. The services include: 1) Students remain at their school with the same teacher and classmates, even if they move out of the school district.
2) Transportation to school, either by bus or a gas card to the family, 3) School fees are waived.
McKinney-Vento does not provide material needs, food, or lodging. Impact Chesterfield addresses these needs.
Community-In-Schools (CIS) - CIS places a personnel in the high-needs schools. The CIS person coordinates community involvement with volunteers and organizations such as Impact Chesterfield.
Community of Churches (COC) - The COC comprises 11 churches within Chesterfield County that work together to support homeless students and their family.
Chesterfield Department of Social Services (CDSS) - CDSS provides referrals of County Residents to Impact Chesterfield.
Officers
President: Steve Astoria
Vice President: Jane Davis
Treasurer: Kitty Ambers
Secretary: Joe Sikora