Southside Caring Hearts RVA Supporting Richmond's Homeless Community
Join us at Southside Caring Hearts RVA as we provide essential help and care to our most vulnerable who are without a home.
Join us at Southside Caring Hearts RVA as we provide essential help and care to our most vulnerable who are without a home.
At Southside Caring Hearts RVA, our mission is to provide essential support to homeless individuals on Richmond's southside. We strive to create a warm and welcoming environment where everyone can find shelter and access to basic, everyday necessities.
Founded in 2022, Southside Caring Hearts RVA began when a recently married couple, George and Carol Williams, decided to give to others, despite their own needs.
At the time, having recently secured a home of their own after experiencing homelessness themselves, George and Carol took particular notice of the number of unhoused people that lingered, some both day and night, along Richmond's Hull Street, Jefferson Davis Hwy, Midlothian Turnpike, and Broad Rock Blvd corridors, even during times of bitter, life-threatening cold.
Then, on a brutally cold winter evening, while at home, Carol saw people sleeping on the steps of an abandoned church, wrapped in nothing more than newspapers and tattered pieces of worn-out clothes to keep them warm. That's when it hit her. The compulsion to... just DO!
With nothing more than a heart full of compassion and empathy, she went home and said to George, "I know there is SOMETHING we can do. We can't just pass by and NOT help!"
As Carol began to make sandwiches, George gathered every sheet, blanket, quilt or comforter they owned. Then together they returned to steps of the vacant church where Carol had seen people sleeping earlier and passed them out to the men and women there.
And thus, without any grand plan, and no formal backing or sponsorship and no money (but plenty of LOVE and empathy) to spare... is how Southside Caring Hearts RVA came to be.... a two-person street team, working together in the spirit of Mathew 25:35-40.
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
SCHRVA is a local, volunteer-driven, community outreach initiative started by George Williams, a disabled veteran, and his wife, Carol. George and "Miss Carol", as she is often referred to, are a formerly homeless couple, married for five years now.
They began caring for the unhoused in 2022, in the Broad Rock area of RVA. Now their work has grown, and they serve a large portion of the unhoused population on Richmond's southside.
While Mr. and Mrs. William's efforts, and that of a handful of dedicated volunteers and supporters, touch some of Richmond's most vulnerable citizens in some way... every day, their impact is most felt in late autumn, and particularly during the winter when the days, evenings, and nights get cool, then cold; sometimes life-threateningly cold!
That's why, in 2023, Southside Caring Hearts introduced its signature annual Care, Clothes, and Cover campaign, called Share the Warmth RVA.
Care includes... the essential hygiene and self-care products that we all need to maintain our appearance (especially for women),
Clothes... ones that you'd think one needs to survive cool, cold and freezing days and nights; such as used Men's and Women's coats, jackets, sweaters, shirts and pants (ALL sizes), shoes and boots, SOCKS, and underclothes, and
Cover... blankets, sleeping bags, cots, tarps and tents.
Last year, with the help of friends, neighbors, supporters and sponsors, Southside caring Hearts Share's Share the Warmth campaign delivered warm clothing, blankets, and essential supplies to those most in need. SCH's efforts, coupled with the contributions and in-kind donations of good, caring people throughout Metro RVA, we significantly impacted many, many lives last year.
Here's an overview of how your contributions and donations made a difference since we started Share The Warmth RVA.
Since 2022, we have provided:
2,395 Winter Survival Kits: These kits included warm clothing, gloves, hats, and hygiene products to help folks endure the cold.
53 Tents: Providing shelter for those without homes; tents that offered refuge from severe weather.
217 Sleeping Bags: Essential for warmth, these sleeping bags allowed many to stay safe during frigid nights.
580 Blankets: These blankets provided warmth and comfort, reminding recipients they are not alone.
And... 160 motel rooms for the most at-risk persons, including women with young children; affording them a respite and a safe place to endure the most dangerous and extreme weather conditions.
So... As the temperatures begin to drop, let's unite to raise awareness and take action -in the spirit of Matthew 25:40, which teaches us...
“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me”
Remember, your Contributions and Donations save lives. Every effort counts, and together we can ensure no one faces the cold alone.
#SupportTheUnhoused
#ShareTheWarmth
#CodeBlue

At Southside Caring Hearts RVA, we are dedicated to providing essential support for homeless individuals in Richmond, Virginia. Our mission is to create a safe and welcoming environment where everyone can find shelter and resources to improve their lives.
Share the Warmth is SCHRVA's primary community initiative. Started 3 years ago, Share the Warmth collects donations of survival items, and essential clothing and hygiene products to help the unhoused survive the frigid winter months.
Contributions support the purchase of tents, blankets, coats, hats, gloves, and other essential items that are regularly distributed to men, women, and families in need of immediate assistance to survive when temperatures drop below 40 degrees.
CODE BLUE is an emergency fund set aside to help provide the most vulnerable among the unhoused with temporary, emergency shelter at local motels during extreme cold and/or inclement weather.
*SCHRVA is not a 501(c)3 organization. Donations are not tax-exempt. Given our continued growth and notoriety, our goal is to apply for tax-exempt status after January 1, 2026.

Guardian of Warmth: $500+
As a Guardian of Warmth, your support ensures that the most vulnerable members of our community are protected from the harsh winter conditions. Your generous contribution will provide comprehensive winter survival kits, including insulated sleeping bags, thermal clothing, and portable heaters.
Together, we can make a profound difference in the lives of those in need.
Shelter Champion: $250 - $499
Become a Shelter Champion and lead the charge in providing essential resources to homeless individuals in Richmond. Your sponsorship will fund the distribution of kits that include waterproof tents, thermal blankets, and basic hygiene items.
By joining us as a Shelter Champion, you are offering hope and comfort to those enduring the coldest nights.
Warmth Advocate: $100 - $249
As a Warmth Advocate, your donation will ensure that numerous individuals receive the critical supplies they need to survive the winter. This sponsorship level supports the purchase of hand warmers, wool socks, and nutritious food packs.
Your advocacy is vital in spreading warmth and care throughout our community.
Compassionate Partner: $50 - $99
Compassionate Partners play a crucial role in our mission to Share the Warmth. Your support will help us provide essential items, such as winter hats, gloves, and scarves, to those facing the elements.
By becoming a Compassionate Partner, you are extending a lifeline to those who need it most during the winter months.
Kindness Supporter: $25 - $49
Every gesture of kindness counts. As a Kindness Supporter, your contribution will go towards the purchase of basic winter essentials, such as thermal underwear and hot drinks.
By choosing to support at this level, you are making a heartfelt difference in the lives of the homeless individuals in Richmond, proving that kindness can indeed change the world, one warm moment at a time.
As Richmond opens a new shelter, volunteers continue to help the homeless
‘We have to do better. This is unacceptable’: Richmond outreach organization calling on community to assist the homeless amid freezing temperatures | WRIC ABC 8News
We'd love to meet and get to know our supporters and friends at Southside Caring Hearts RVA. Feel free to visit us to see the vital work we do.
3415 Decatur Street, Richmond, VA, USA
804-904-0324 southsidecaringhearts@gmail.com SCHRVA is NOT a 501(c)3, tax-exempt organization


Help Us. Help Them!

WE CAN DO SO MUCH, WITH JUST A LITTLE HELP FROM YOU!
It doesn't take much to ensure that our homeless friends and neighbors have access to a meal when they are hungry or access to a hot shower or a place to get or wash their clothes.
The help that we get from supporters just like you can sometimes be the difference between life and death.
Whether it be a monetary contribution, or an in-kind donation of things like non-perishable food items, men's and women's hygiene products, and/or new or gently used, seasonally appropriate clothing...
YOUR GIFTS MAKE A DIFFERENCE.