Roanoke Nonprofits and Charities

My 35 now 36 year old son was looking for help with his sudden onset of health problems. He had trouble breathing, dizziness, etc. Finally was diagnosed with a large blood clot in his left lung. During surgery to remove the blood clot, his heart stopped for 16 minutes. He was on life support, etc. We were advised to terminate all care. His wife said no. She wanted to give him a chance. He is now improving every day, although has a long way to go, and the FREE Foundation has been so helpful in helping him become more independent. Once I heard of this organization, I contacted them and they have been non-stop help since. To see the smile on my son's face when he is able to use his power wheelchair on his good days is immeasurable, not to mention ALL the other things they have donated to us, potty seat, regular wheelchair, transfer to bath table. Without them I do not know what we would have done. Kudos to Diane, at our local FREE office in Williamsburg, Virginia. She is kind, compassionate, understanding, and loves her job helping people. Thanks again!

I had the pleasure of being a foster parent and a member of the Lutheran FosterCare and Adoption program family for almost 5 years. I can truly say that if it were not for my caseworker at LFS, I would have felt like completing giving up on some days. No matter how frustrated I was or ready to give up, my caseworker always listened to my concerns patiently and without judgement. She helped me understand a new perspective and how to communicate with my child in a way that helped rather than harmed my child. My caseworker consistently offered me logical and practical strategies, she encouraged and supported me through some very tough times and in the face of extremely challenging behaviors and traumatic emotional issues present with my foster child and empowered me to parent from a place of love and forgiveness rather than from anger and control. All of the TFC staff were immediately responsive to my child's needs and always displayed a willingness and desire to not only talk through problems occurring in our home but to brainstorm, problem solve and identify solutions that worked for my child and family. They always guided and empowered me to be the parent without taking the parental authority away from me which is one of the best tools and greatest gifts a caseworker can offer a foster parent. I was very impressed with my caseworker's strong and effective advocacy efforts on the behalf of the needs of the children/teens and how my caseworker always remained focused on my child's well being, stability, family relationship, and quality of life. If you ever need a champion on your side, my LFS caseworker is the person you need because I believe she can argue for the needs of a child with the best of them! For me, LFS is truly the best foster care program provider in the Greater Richmond area and I feel so thankful and grateful for everything that my caseworkers did/have done for and with me over the few years. LFS staff encouraged me when I felt powerless and frustrated, they walked alongside of me with great empathy and support without giving up or giving in during one of my child's very stressful, chaotic and traumatic time of his life. Thank you so much for all you have done for me over the years!!

This service planned, coordinated and implemented group activities that help stimulate and motivate their patients/client. We traveled to historic sites, hiking, cooking, newsletter production and other group activities. Being a part of this, inspired me, more than the patients, who already had a zeal to improve themseleves. I thoroughly enjoyed and am continuning to help my cousin who is still a part of the group.

This is a great site !! Love helping those who go above and beyond to do the same and expect nothing in return!!

I was first turned to AMVETS when I had been going to the process to have disability claim filed. I was 3 years in with no end in sight and was connected to Joseph Kassell and soon Teresa Ritter. They were incredible in helping me work through the process. You have someone you could call and not get turned around through an automated telephone system. I was so relieved of how easy it was and I would ask that any veteran who is in need of excellent representation to call AMVETS.

BOOKBAG SANTA gathers used school supplies at the end of the school year and donates the good stuff to poor kids in Virginia, the U.S. , and overseas. Every July they take a group of volunteers and up to a TON of school & medical supplies to Belize for one to two weeks- a chance to do a good deed, and have a cheap vacation in a tropical paradise ! www.bookbagsanta.com

For almost 60 years, Total Action for Progress (TAP) has played a huge and positive role in the communities across the Roanoke Valley and the Allegheny Highlands.<br><br>TAP has provided stable housing, quality education, safer homes, and career tools to thousands of families experiencing poverty. The staff, volunteers, Board, and partners are truly phenomenal!

Land Savers United meets national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. Land Savers United has demonstrated to the Land Trust Accreditation Commission its commitment to excellence. Accredited land trusts meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. These land trusts demonstrate their commitment to excellence by adopting Land Trust Standards and Practices, the ethical and technical guidelines for the responsible operation of a land trust, and meeting the accreditation requirements drawn from them. Learn More: http://www.landtrustaccreditation.org/about.

We found Showtimers 2 weeks after moving to Roanoke and have been here ever since! Almost 4 years and 11 shows later, we have acted, directed, designed, and stage managed but also made amazing friends and had some unforgettable experiences. If you have ever wanted to learn more, become involved, or just see a new show, please consider becoming a member. We would love to have you!

Center in the Square is an awesome place to go to make memories. There is a children's museum, pinball museum, arcade, and other museums AND the ocean exhibits and rooftop exhibits are FREE to enjoy!

Plowshare Peace and Justice Center was founded in 1972 as an interfaith coalition working to end the war in Vietnam. It has grown to some 600 members in the Roanoke Valley and is Virginia's oldest peace organization. Plowshare is a not-for-profit that offers frequent programs on topics that include non-violent communication, civil rights, demilitarization of nuclear weapons, reordering of US budget priorities, non-intervention in other countries' affairs, the death penalty, climate destabilization and clean energy, LGBTQ issues, voting rights, Israel and Palestine, and many more aspects of domestic and international social justice. Plowshare has held a Silent Peace Vigil to remember the victims of wars on the Roanoke City Market since 2005 (3rd Saturday, noon-1 pm). Plowshare committees focus on programs, lobbying, public information (media watch), military recruitment in schools, etc. Plowshare distributes Appalachian Voices and the Richmond Defender in SW Virginia, sponsors an annual "Peace Jam" for middle and high school students and networks and forms coalitions with many other area organizations. Gary Sandman, Executive Director. <br>Email: plowshare@plowshareva.org<br>Facebook page: @plowshare peace center<br>Mail: PO Box 4367, Roanoke VA 24015<br>Office: 505 Day Ave., Roanoke VA 24018 (Roanoke Friends Meeting House)<br>Website: www.plowshareva.org

This non profit was opened by a Female Navy Veteran. Dorothy Mae Owsley is the sole owner and founder of TOFW. Transitional Options for WoMEN is the only organization in the state of Virginia that provide pre-release training and mentoring for persons preparing for release from incarceration. Part of the pre-release program is preparing them to transitional back into society, homes, families, relationship(s) and work life. This organization partners with community based service providers to address the whole body, mind and soul needs of persons leaving incarceration. From emotional intelligence to reunification and housing the needs are great. As a non profit we have relied heavily on donations and most often more than 80% of the financial needs are met by this Disabled Female Veteran from her own retirement funds. <br> <br>I have recently joined the team to coach, mentor and house and influence positive change for this targeted group of persons. Financial help is needed to continue to help these persons become contributing citizens.

This organization is not worth supporting due to current 'management'. In 2017, they failed to execute the one event for which the group was founded -- an annual public LGBT pride festival. Roanoke Pride was founded as an educational organization to host an annual gay pride event and raise awareness on LGBT issues. In 2015, it purchased a for-profit nightclub ("The Park") for which the owner (a friend of a Board member) could not find a buyer. The owner kept the land and sold Pride the business, which now pays rent to the former owner who Pride billed as a 'generous donor', possibly due to an improper donor-advised donation for the purchase. At the same time, a companion organization called The Prism Foundation was announced, with plans to spin off a separate 501(c)(3). With these changes, financial candor from Pride ended. At a time when increased reporting was appropriate, there was less. From 2015 until late 2017, no 990s were filed. Attempts to obtain information or bring concerns were met with hostility and rude rants. Even a request to see the original exemption application was ignored. Despite being alerted to do so in 2015, the organization still has not complied with state charity registration requirements, which require disclosure of management and financial information. As of October 2017, not even the registration fee had been paid, and no financial statements were filed. More than two years later, Prism still has no legal existence. Form 990s for Roanoke Pride were filed in October 2017 for 2015 and 2016, but they are grossly incomplete, appearing to exclude any discussion of the nightclub as an asset, investment, controlled entity, disregarded entity, or unrelated trade/business. Nor do they discuss handling of the 'Prism Foundation'. The Board has shrank as the key figures seek to maintain control over information and decisions. In 2017, there were two 'noisy resignations' that alleged improprieties by the core directors. <br> The same defective directors re-elected themselves recently. In 2017, the Board failed to execute the one event for which the organization was founded... an annual public LGBT pride event, instead passing it off until 2018, while continuing to focus its efforts on operation of the for-profit nightclub in which the main directors of Pride also have management or operational roles (one of whom is subject to an open domestic assault and battery charge under court advisement and is subject to a protective order). Roanoke Pride's website no longer has any administrative information such as board members, bylaws, etc., and hasn't added financial information since 2015. Roanoke Pride's Facebook Page consists primarily of ads for the nightclub. The organization is subject to active investigations. The attached image is from Roanoke Pride's charity 2017 registration packet -- a checklist of things for the organization to include. Not one item is checked, and not one item from the list was included. Not even the registration check. Yet it was submitted by cover letter from Pride's current Chairman with a post-it note promising additional information 'ASAP'. That was in June 2017. Nothing more was forthcoming as of October. But he's at the club, every week. To simply say it is embarrassing is to overlook the criminality involved.

I started volunteering with CVC about 2 years ago, assisting the educators in the classroom. I appreciate the way CVC teaches about recycling but why it should be important for all of us. I love going into the streams with the students and looking for bugs that tell you how healthy (or not) the streams are. All the students in the Roanoke Valley benefit from learning to keep our home clean and green for us and our future generations.

RCGA is a wonderful organization that helps people re-connect with earth by working in the gargen and grow organic vegetables. They offer educational programs for children and adults as well. I highly recommend getting involved with this organization.

St. Francis is a great organization that focuses on persons with disabilities. My daughter has the most wonderful service dog Hope. Hannah (my daughter) is in a wheelchair and was getting ready to go to college. We applied for a dog to go with her. Their process was wonderful and training the best! After months of working with the trainers they matched Hope and Hannah. What a great pair. Knowing Hannah would be living in a dorm room for 4 year with a dog they decided Hope was a good size for a dorm room. Now Hannah and Hope have graduated college and now living and working in Arlington VA. Hope is such a great asset to Hannah making her life a much easier place. Trainers are available whenever needed and the support the St. Francis staff gives is like no other.

This organization has provided a drug free facility for both youth and amateur boxers to train and learn life skills through mentoring from positive role models. This organization has been recognized by local news media and other local organizations for it's work in the community.

Roanoke Area Ministries offers lunch every day of the year as well as giving the homeless in Roanoke a place to be safe, dry and warm during the day. They also provide financial assistance for utility bills, rent and medicines. The clients are kind and appreciative and just need a little help and love to keep going. The staff is efficient, caring and kind. I have been volunteering with RAM for three years and being there each week keeps my life in perspective. Watching a young pregnant woman come for lunch with no shoes makes anything I'm going through insignificant. <br>Kathy Arle

The gross margin for VAS is negative. KPI's or ratios from financial statements indicate ineffectual financial leadership and poor financial health.

Kissto Healthcare is a fabulous organization. I have volunteered for a number of non-profit organizations but Kissito the Kissito is truly unique and different from other non-profit companies. Every staff here is inspiring, creative, caring, and thoroughly professional. Every day, the humanizing healthcare service they deliver domestically and internationally is improving the quality of lives of hundreds of thousands of people. I am so glad that I chose to volunteer for Kissito because being embraced by such a great culture and so many great people motivates me to do great things that truly make a difference in the world community.

i was a donor and close to one of their employees. this organization provides great services to the people it serves while using sometimes devious and manipulative means to get what it wants in order to do so. poor treatment of staff caused ultimately by the CEO and uncaring HR director but most colleagues were some of the most amazing people i' ve ever met. they're a self proclaimed Christian organization but they are not really interested in Jesus behind closed doors. it' s only to attract more donors.

Star City Greyhound is dedicated to finding loving homes for retired racing greyhounds. For the last 13 years we have placed over 1000 of these amazing dogs into their forever homes. We operate entirely on donations from the public and small fundraisers. Our kennel in Roanoke, VA houses close to 50 greyhounds at any one time. All of our dogs are well taken care of, receive proper nutrition, vet care, and vaccines. We also get all of our dogs spayed or neutered. Helping these dogs is our life and we wouldn't have it any other way.

It was wonderful. We pulled together as a team and helped out a lot of people. I am proud to have been a part of Let It Begin With Me Disaster Relief and will continue helping out as long as their is a need.