THRIVE Peninsula, Inc.

We love our board members! To stay connected to the mission, our board members came in for a Thursday Night THRIVE to run The Market. Several of our board members also volunteer as financial coaches, serve on various committees, and help staff community events. We are grateful to have so many passionate people leading our organization.

Volunteer Spotlight- Bruce Knight A retired pharmaceutical rep with 10 years as a district sales manager, Bruce Knight has been volunteering at THRIVE since 2023. He and his wife Jan have lived in this area for 45 years. They have 3 adult sons and 5 grandchildren. Bruce learned about THRIVE from his church, Kirkwood Presbyterian. “We loved the whole mission and goal of THRIVE,” Bruce says, “and it lined up very closely with what our church does in the community.” Prior to his volunteer work at THRIVE, Bruce volunteered at William and Mary and Christopher Newport University, helping students with resume writing and interview skills. Bruce explains: “Most people undersell themselves on resumes and interviews. For instance, a person that is a server at a restaurant doesn't just serve food. They have to multitask, deliver with short timelines, keep a cool head with challenging customers, and develop strong communication skills.” Now Bruce works with two or three THRIVE clients per month. He finds it rewarding when he sees “clients light up with excitement,” when they learn the skills Bruce teaches them, and especially when a client lands a really good job. Bruce finds the positive difference he is helping make in the lives of THRIVE clients a constant reminder of why volunteering at THRIVE is so important. “Know that you are making a difference no matter what you do volunteering at THRIVE. They will plug you into an area of interest that you might have. If you have a new unique idea or skillset that you think could help, let them know. You may just be able to make it happen.”

Did you know that THRIVE Peninsula, Inc. provides a free grocery store, with a focus on fresh and healthy foods, for their clients in need? The Foundation is proud to have supported this vital need in our community.

How Has THRIVE Impacted You? Share Your Story! THRIVE Peninsula has touched so many lives—whether you’re a client, volunteer, donor, or supporter, we want to hear from YOU! We’re looking for community members to share their experiences in a special video project. WHEN: March 20 from 11am-1pm WHERE: THRIVE Peninsula 12749 Nettles Dr, NN, VA 23606 ?? Why participate? ?? Your story will inspire others and promote THRIVE’s mission ?? You’ll receive a Food Lion gift card as a thank you ?? You'll be part of something bigger—showing the power of community! Sign up now: https://lnkd.in/e33sUuPv

We need your bags! Donated bags help us pack food in The Market. Drop off your donations: -Monday – Thursday: 10 AM – 5 PM -Friday: 10 AM – 2 PM -Saturday: 9 AM – 12 PM Want to help even more? If you have time, please double and roll plastic bags before donating. Watch the video to learn how!

Check out our most needed items for March ! https://lnkd.in/gknBW_g4 ?? Drop-Off Hours: 10am-5pm Monday through Thursday, 10am-2pm Fridays, and Saturdays 9am-12pm. Plus extended hours until 6:30pm on Thursdays March 13 and 20. Every donation, big or small, helps us provide for those who need it most. Thank you for your support! ??

On Thursday night, THRIVE staff, board members, and volunteers attended the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities' Humanitarian Awards Dinner. THRIVE was honored with the Distinguished Merit Award, which recognizes corporate and nonprofit organizations for their outstanding humanitarian efforts. When we opened The Market at THRIVE in November 2023, in partnership with Food Lion, we envisioned a welcoming space where individuals of all economic backgrounds could access groceries with dignity during times of hardship. Today, The Market serves more than 30,000 people annually in a 100% self-select environment, allowing shoppers to choose foods that align with their dietary needs, preferences, and restrictions. Additionally, our expanded Hispanic Services program has grown significantly, now assisting approximately 350 Spanish speakers each month. We are proud to provide a safe and supportive space where individuals can access critical services in their native language, thanks to our team of Spanish-speaking volunteers and bilingual staff. For many in this community, resources are limited, and we are honored to serve them with dignity and care. A heartfelt thank you to our volunteers, board members, and staff who made this achievement possible. This award is a testament to our collective dedication, and we remain committed to expanding accessibility and opportunities so that everyone in our community can THRIVE. Pictured here: Nhu Yeargin (Peninsula Chapter Chair), Angela York on behalf of THRIVE Peninsula, Inc. (Honoree), and Rob Shuford (Dinner Chair)

Volunteer Spotlight- Dawn Worsham - A THRIVE 2024 Volunteer of the Year! Dawn Worsham?leads The Free Bookstore with the support of a dedicated group of volunteers. She collaborates directly with Reach Reads to place orders for new books, receive deliveries, organize inventory, and merchandise books on the shelves. Under her leadership, The Free Bookstore distributed over 16,500 books in 2024. Dawn also enjoys engaging with clients, often chatting with them about book selections and fostering meaningful personal connections.

Volunteer Spotlight- Sally Johnson- A THRIVE 2024 Volunteer of the Year! Sally Johnson co-manages The Garden at THRIVE, ensuring the plants stay healthy, well-watered, and thriving. She and Beth plan future plantings and use natural methods to keep pests at bay, maintaining a fully organic garden. Sally and her husband also built the garden trellises, allowing produce plants to climb and adding to the garden’s scenic beauty. In addition to her work in the garden, Sally volunteers in The Market every week.

Ready for a story to brighten your day????? During the third week of March, THRIVE shut down The Market for the week to do some needed renovations??♂???. It ALWAYS pains us to close, but these projects were a big deal to support our future growth and efficiency. Here's what happened: Clancy & Theys Construction Company took the lead and arranged the work to be done by some of their most trusted contractors O'Dorisio Carpentry & Concrete and Sheely Contractors. ?? In just one week, they installed a flush-to-the-ground commercial grade scale to safely and quickly weigh bulk donations entering and leaving the building. ?? They added sidewalk around the side and back of our building, leading straight into our new storage building. This means we can now roll pallets of food directly into the building instead of hand unloading them. This is a HUGE WIN! ??Finally, they stripped the crumbling popcorn ceiling out of The Market, and repainted the ceiling and back walls to make it picture perfect. ?? That's all good news right? But here's the ??CRAZY?? part... Not ONE of these companies opted to send us a bill! ?? That's right. All three companies fully donated the labor and materials for this job! Clancy and Theys asked their contractors to donate back to THRIVE because that's what they planned to do too and everyone hopped on board. We are dumbfounded by the generosity of this project. Clancy did this once before when they got all of our exterior signage donated just before our ribbon cutting, but this is next level! ?? A huge, special thanks goes to Nicole Anderson, Jason Burton, and Alfonza Campbell of Clancy and Theys who helped plan this project, managed this project, and troubleshot potential issues along the way. We are so honored for your trust and partnership.?? ??THANK YOU!??