At the RISC Nehemiah Action on April 30,
we won justice for our community!
With the power of 835 organized people from 22 member congregations and dozens of guest congregations, we achieved…
Introductory trauma-informed care training for all 4,000 Chesterfield County Public Schools staff before the first day of school in Fall 2018!
Intensive training and support for Chesterfield secondary schools with the highest suspension rates and disparity.
Partnership with several faith and business leaders in Henrico to continue pressing for all East End kids to read.
5 years ago, RISC was featured in the Richmond Times-Dispatch at the beginning of our Affordable Housing initiative. At that time, with 14 congregations, the reporter noted that we “made a formidable show of strength...hundreds of people from Baptist, Presbyterian, Jewish and Catholic congregations packed the Cedar Street Memorial Baptist Church in Church Hill.”
This summer, RISC leaders have been visiting local businesses and corporations headquartered in the Richmond region, sharing our story and the changes that happened because we showed up.
Business leaders have been interested by the jobs pipeline RISC pieced together and concerned about the reading crisis in Henrico County. Some are excited to know there’s an organization that brings the faith community together and solves community problems in a unique, effective way!
In 2010 RISC leaders found that 38,000 Richmond families were paying 50% of their income on housing—an unaffordable rate that often leaves families scrambling to cover other necessary costs. We urged City Council and Mayor Jones to fund a proven solution, an Affordable Housing Trust Fund. City leaders made commitments in 2015 and since then $2.2 million from the city has gone into the Trust Fund.
Childhood trauma has a devastating impact on our community. At our Justice Rally we heard from a friend, a parent, and a teacher who have each seen the painful impacts of trauma.
This year our justice ministry, united with 16 other diverse congregations under RISC, is working to make sure our neighbors have access to mental healthcare. Our mental health research committee has met with 16 experts in the mental health field and made crucial findings—
Many in our congregations shared stories about the difficulties of finding quality mental healthcare.
“I want a good job with benefits that I can do for the long-term, but no one gives me a chance.” Sharing stories of unemployment and the struggle to find a good job, like this story shared by a RISC congregation member who attended a house meeting last fall, have driven us for the past two years to seek job training opportunities for residents of distressed Richmond neighborhoods.
All of the hospital systems we have spoken with have revealed a continuing need for entry-level medical employees. Unfortunately, many people seeking healthcare training are unable to successfully attain certification. Last fall, 881 students dropped out of programs that would lead to medical careers at J Sargeant Reynolds Community College.
