2021 Virginia Housing Award - Best Regional Partnership

Homeward, Daily Planet Health Services (DPHS), and Richmond Urban Ministry Institute (RUMI) were recognized with the Best Regional Partnership Award at the Governor’s Housing Conference in Norfolk, VA on November 11, 2021. This statewide award highlights the organizations’ collaborative and impressive COVID-19 response in Central Virginia.

Best Regional Partnership is one of six awards announced at the annual Virginia Housing Awards, held as part of the Governor’s Housing Conference (click here to watch video). This recognition honors award-winning innovative and effective efforts that address housing and community needs in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The highly competitive award underscores the life-saving response Homeward, DPHS, and RUMI led in combating COVID-19 among the Richmond region’s most vulnerable neighbors, notably individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

“This award is a powerful statement about the importance of collaboration during times of crisis,” said Kelly King Horne, Executive Director of Homeward. “The results of efforts across the entire Greater Richmond Continuum of Care are a testament to coordinated responses based on real-world data and foundations of trust. Our region has been highlighted statewide and nationally for how we met the needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness during the pandemic.”

Throughout 2020 and 2021, Homeward and DPHS have led a coordinated collaborative response among Greater Richmond Continuum of Care (GRCoC) partners. This response followed all federal and local COVID-19 guidance and mitigated the risk of COVID-19 while meeting the immediate needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness and at high risk of dying from COVID-19. Components of the broader GRCoC strategy included weekly calls, creation of the region’s only non-congregate emergency shelter, expanded service of the Homeless Connection Line, and vaccination clinics. Additionally, the group created a safe on-demand isolation and recovery space for homeless populations infected with COVID-19, which played an important role in offloading crowded hospital systems.

“During the darkest and longest days of the pandemic, our entire organization found strength in that we were able to not just collaborate with Homeward, RUMI and other community organizations, but share, learn and lean on each other along the way,” said Dr. Patricia Cook, chief medical officer of Daily Planet Health Services. “We are truly proud of this recognition, and look forward to continued collaboration as we work to provide the best possible care to Richmond’s most-vulnerable populations.”

According to the Governor’s Housing Conference, the Best Regional Partnership Award recognizes that regional collaborations are essential to maintaining safe, supportive, and affordable housing and sparking economic and community development in communities across the Commonwealth. This award is given to a regional effort that exemplifies how leveraging successful partnerships can lead to vibrant communities.

“RUMI is proud to stand alongside Homeward and DPHS to receive this award,” said Aisha Bullard, Director of RUMI. “Despite challenging circumstances, our staff and volunteers worked collaboratively in new and unprecedented ways to provide essential, daily care and services to the most vulnerable individuals in our communities.”

Homeward, DPHS, and RUMI will collectively share the Best Regional Partnership Award. The recognition is especially significant because it demonstrates that the Richmond region’s homeless services response to the COVID-19 pandemic was truly exemplary and stood out in the Commonwealth.

About Homeward

Homeward is the coordinating agency for the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care. Founded in 1998 to ensure the Richmond region qualified for public funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Homeward has a proven track record of sharing accurate and verifiable data on best practices to serve our most vulnerable neighbors. Homeward’s mission is to prevent, reduce, and end homelessness by facilitating creative solutions through the collaboration, coordination, and cooperation of regional resources and services. For more information, visit https://www.homewardva.org.

About Daily Planet Health Services

Daily Planet Health Services’ (DPHS) mission is to provide accessible, comprehensive, and integrated quality health services to anyone regardless of their housing, financial or insurance status. DPHS is a Federally Qualified Health Center Healthcare for Homeless grantee, offering primary care, behavioral health, case management and outreach services, and dental services. DPHS also operates two residential programs at Medical Respite and Safe Haven. DPHS welcomes individuals with Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance as well as those with no insurance. DPHS envisions a community where ALL are empowered to live healthy, enriched and stable lives. For more information visit dailyplanetva.org.

About Richmond Urban Ministry Institute (RUMI)

RUMI is a sponsored outreach program of Real Chances, Inc. Established in 2011, Real Chances is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing supports and services in communities where neighbors are often living on the margins. Our team guides those in our care along new paths toward a better way of living. Through our affiliate agencies we provide wraparound services and programs with the goal of changing lives and exceeding expectations. More information is available online at https://www.wearerumi.org