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.
Our Story
The beginning
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.’
Venmo @sharewarmth
Zelle 804-855-9363
Our commitment to Transparency
Thank you for the support
Southside Caring Hearts — How Your Donations Make a Difference
At Southside Caring Hearts, we believe in transparency, integrity, and compassion. Every donation we receive goes directly toward supporting the homeless community in Southside Richmond through two essential areas: Direct Support and the Code Blue Emergency Motel Fund.
Your generosity fuels our mission and provides real, life-saving impact.
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Direct Support to the Homeless Community
The majority of your donations help us meet the immediate needs of individuals living outdoors throughout Hull Street, Broad Rock, Decatur Street, and surrounding areas.
Because of you, we provide:
Warm winter clothing (coats, gloves, socks, hats)
Blankets, sleeping bags, and hand warmers
Hot meals, snack packs, and bottled water
Hygiene kits and personal care items
Tents, ponchos, and basic emergency gear
Every item is hand-delivered by our volunteers who show up with compassion, encouragement, and respect. Your support helps restore dignity and hope to people who often feel forgotten.
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Code Blue Emergency Motel Fund
When freezing temperatures hit, the streets become dangerous—and sometimes deadly. During Code Blue emergencies, your donations allow us to quickly shelter individuals and families who have nowhere safe to go.
This fund provides:
Emergency motel rooms during extreme cold
Transportation to get people safely off the streets
Warm meals and supplies delivered during their stay
Priority placement for seniors, disabled individuals, women, and those in unsafe locations
You help save lives on the coldest nights of the year.
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Why Your Support Matters
Southside Caring Hearts is 100% volunteer-driven.
No salaries. No paid staff.
Every dollar and donated item goes directly to serving people in need.
Your support helps us:
Keep families warm
Protect vulnerable individuals from harsh weather
Deliver compassion and care throughout Southside Richmond
Provide emergency shelter when the temperature drops
Together, we are making a difference—one person at a time.
Venmo @sharewarmth
Zelle 804-855-9363
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Thank You
Southside Caring Hearts is not a 501c3
Your generosity fuels every outreach, every warm meal, every motel night, and every act of kindness we are able to share.
Thank you for standing with Southside Caring Hearts as we continue to serve, protect, and uplift our community.
Share the Warmth and Code Blue Emergency Outreach
Together we can save 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.
Venmo @sharewarmth
Zelle 804-855-9363
Carol's Compassionate Clothes Closet
Contact Us
Better yet, see us in person!
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
804-855-9363 southsidecaringhearts@gmail.com SCHRVA is NOT a 501(c)3, tax-exempt organization
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Code Blue Emergency fund
CODE BLUE EMERGENCY — RICHMOND 🚨
Freezing temperatures are here. People in our community are sleeping outside tonight.
Share the Warmth RVA & Southside Caring Hearts are responding immediately with blankets, coats, sleeping bags, and emergency support. The funds we receive are going directly to help the homeless with immediate support for motel rooms for the most vulnerable unhoused neighbors including the elderly and families with children
👉 Donate Now to Save Lives
Donate Options:
• Venmo: @sharewarmth
• Zelle: 804-855-9363