RICHMOND, Va. β Leaders from across Central Virginia have joined forces to address the needs of the homeless population as temperatures begin to drop, approving up to $618,000 for a surge shelter this winter.
Partners from CARITAS, The Salvation Army, Richmond City, Henrico, Chesterfield and Hanover counties announced their collaborative effort to fund the shelter during colder months.
"I am pleased to announce that CARITAS has agreed to operate a surge shelter to add capacity to the inclement weather shelter," CARITAS President and CEO Karen O'Brien said.
The surge shelter, located inside the CARITAS building on Stockton Street in Richmond, will provide 60 beds from Dec. 1 to March 31, 2026. It will open when The Salvation Army's inclement weather shelter reaches capacity and temperatures fall below 40 degrees.
"Because it is a regional challenge, it requires a regional response, one that is nuanced and layered as the problem itself," Henrico County Supervisor Roscoe Cooper III (Fairfield District) said.
The initiative comes after last winter's brutal temperatures left some homeless individuals without shelter.
"Individuals in need of shelter should go to the inclement weather shelter," O'Brien explained. "If the surge shelter is operating and activated, transportation will be provided from the inclement weather shelter to the surge shelter."
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Rhonda Snead with Blessing Warriors, a non-profit working year-round with the unhoused community, witnessed firsthand how difficult the cold was for those experiencing homelessness.
"Many times we are out there 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning wrapping people up," Snead said.
She noted the diverse population affected by homelessness: "It's people of every nationality, every age, the highest person we served is 101 years old, we've had children out there."
While Snead welcomes the surge shelter, she hopes for more permanent solutions.
"Each county should have their own shelter," she said. "We've been asking for solutions, so hopefully this is a step in the right direction."
Richmond Mayor Danny Avula emphasized that homelessness crosses city borders and requires ongoing regional cooperation.
"I think this surge shelter is just one part of that larger effort to strengthen the continuum of care for our residents in crisis," Avula said. "We need to focus on the longer-term solutions."
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