Staff Spotlight: Vicki Wise

May 22, 2025

“Engaging with people and building community motives me.”

Q: How did you get into homeless services as a field of work?

A: I first started in the field in an AmeriCorps position working with families at a local shelter in 2014. I loved the creative nature of the work and the families that I worked with. After obtaining my Master’s in Social Work (MSW) degree in 2017, I began a job as an outreach worker and my passion for the field continued to grow.


Q: What’s your job at Homeward and has it evolved since you first joined?

A: I am the Community Engagement Coordinator. I started with Homeward as the Youth Programs Coordinator, focusing on working on programs for homeless youth in the region, aged 18-24. In my current position, I am able to use various aspects of my past experiences working in shelter and outreach, which helps me to understand our homeless services network and connect more deeply with a wide variety of community members.


Q: What are some parts of your job that you enjoy?

A: I love to engage with our partners across the region. I enjoy being able to develop and deliver trainings and events to support the work being done by partners in the field.


Q: Is there anything you wish more people knew or understood about homeless services as a field of work?

A: Homeless services is a complex system that can take time to fully understand. Luckily, I work in training, so I am designing additional trainings to break down this complex system and make it easier for more people to understand and engage in a way that is meaningful for them.


Q: What motivates you?

A: Engaging with people and building community motivates me.

Intern Spotlight: Rayne Nappier

June 2, 2026
Rayne is a MSW student at VCU's School of Social Work and this year's Coalition Support Intern at Homeward. We asked for her perspective on the connections between social work and homeless services now that she's been with us for a few months.

Moving from Good Intentions to Real Impact: 5 Ways Our Community Can Address Homelessness

By Kelly King Horne • May 28, 2026
Iain De Jong of Org Code Consulting shared a video today “Want to help with homelessness? Do this. Not that.” This is one of the best summaries of how all of us can be a part of addressing the homelessness crisis in our community. The video is only 7 minutes, and Iain is always worth listening to but here is my summary of what touched me.

Homeward to Host Best Practices Conference for Homeless Service Agencies and Partners

April 28, 2026
Homeward – the planning agency for the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care (GRCoC), a network of homeless service providers that deliver coordinated and compassionate solutions to homelessness in the Richmond region – will host the 2026 Best Practices Conference on Friday, May 1, 2026 at the DoubleTree Richmond-Midlothian hotel in Chesterfield County.

Staff Spotlight: Pam Kirby

By Elizabeth Handwerk • April 7, 2026
"Homeward is there to bring all the different pieces of homeless services together. "

Homeward Releases Data about Homelessness in the Richmond Region Based on the January 2026 Point in Time Count

March 19, 2026
Data from the January 2026 Point in Time (PIT) count show that homelessness in the Richmond region remained relatively steady. The January 2026 PIT count recorded 618 people experiencing homelessness, which is slightly lower than the January 2025 count that recorded 660 people experiencing homelessness.

Staff Spotlight: Kavita Tiwari

By Elizabeth Handwerk • March 17, 2026
“It is rewarding and meaningful to know that accurate data directly impacts planning and service delivery for people experiencing homelessness.”

Community Collaboration in Action

February 27, 2026
As the planning and coordinating agency of the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care (GRCoC), Homeward staff members work closely with local leaders and community members in participating jurisdictions across our region. Greater Richmond is a diverse area and our localities range from urban to suburban to rural. The needs of those communities differ as well.

Current Homeless Services Programs Are Making a Difference

February 18, 2026
As housing instability and the cost of living continue to rise nationally, and especially in the Richmond region, we’ve seen increased pressure on homeless services. These larger economic forces push more people to the brink of homelessness and add further strain to our current support network for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

Collective Action Works

February 11, 2026
We often get questions about how people can help support the work of Homeward and homeless service providers in the Richmond region. One way we to help is talking to your elected representatives about the important work taking place and the need to fund proven, successful programs.

Data with Purpose: Celebrating Margot Ackermann’s Retirement from Homeward

By Elizabeth Handwerk • January 30, 2026
After nearly two decades of dedicated service and impact on efforts to solve homelessness in the Richmond region, Margot Ackermann, Ph.D. is retiring from her role as Director of Research and Evaluation at Homeward . While we will deeply miss her leadership, compassion, and institutional knowledge, we also celebrate the legacy she leaves behind: one that has strengthened our community, shaped data-driven practice, and inspired countless colleagues and partners.