RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Mayor Levar Stoney announced a 20-year-partnership between the City of Richmond, Virginia Union University and the Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority to support the community of Gilpin Court.
“This is a great example of us being great neighbors to each other,” Stoney said. “We have a responsibility to lift people up, and the only way we build sustainable and successful communities is through collaboration, listening and working together.”
VUU and the city will be offering STEM programming for sixth to eight grade students.
“Stable families build stable children,” the mayor said. “Well-educated children become successful adults. Succesful adults create a successful community.”
There will also be workforce development and training programs which are designed to help set residents on a path toward creating generational wealth.
The mayor said these issues were identified in partnership with residents to help learn how to create meaningful support and programming for the community.
The president and CEO of Virginia Union University, Hakim J. Lucas, said this partnership isn’t just about coming to Gilpin court on the weekend but helping provide meaningful help that will help create generational wealth.
“The Gilpin Court collaboration is one way we are deepening our relationships to help build up the lives of residents in the community and others like it in the city. Launching with a mentoring program, this 20-year commitment to Gilpin Court will create opportunities that firmly place residents of Gilpin Court on the pathway for educational, social, and economic justice,” Lucas said. “It is a first step in building generational wealth for a community that may not have had such an opportunity previously.”
The city is also helping support this partnership through a $100,000 grant for mentoring and facilitate workforce training and employment of Gilpin residents through its Office of Community Wealth Building.
You can watch the full press conference below:
