Cycle of Compassion: Helping Those Most in Need
This blog post is the third in a five-part series that explores the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care and how our collaborative and compassionate network has a tangible impact on the Richmond region, especially for our most vulnerable neighbors experiencing homelessness. If you’ve not already done so yet, read the first post and second post to catch up with the full series.
At its core, the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care (GRCoC) is a community-led network to solve homelessness. Since its founding, community-based decision making has been at the heart of the GRCoC because solutions to homelessness in the Richmond region should be tailored to the needs of individuals and families living here.
Agencies on the frontlines of homeless services can offer needed insight into programs that work and why. Just as importantly, we should listen to the lived experience of people who have faced the trauma of homelessness and persevered. That’s why GRCoC policies and programs are assessed by experts in our local community.
Furthermore, Homeward, the coordinating agency for the GRCoC, provides detailed data an analysis about programs so that GRCoC leaders can evaluate what really works. Our region prioritizes proven programs with demonstrated records of success.
That focus on documented results and local solutions is why the GRCoC has been so effective at helping our neighbors pushed into homelessness rebuild their lives and find a safe, stable place to call home.
The GRCoC has identified eight local components of our community system to help those most in need:
· Problem-solving support to address immediate housing needs
· Connections to healthcare, employment, and safety net services
· Shelter to provide safe, indoor accommodation
· Flexible funding to resolve financial barriers
· Housing navigation to help households find housing options
· Reunification with family and friends
· Long-term housing options, such as permanent supportive housing programs
· Warm handoffs to other systems of care
For more information about the GRCoC, visit our website and read the latest Annual Report.









