Amy Strite, RMHF Board Secretary and Program & Evaluation Committee Vice Chair, was recently recognized at the YWCA Outstanding Women Awards, in the “Human Relations & Faith in Action” category.
Outside of her RMHF service, Amy is also the Executive Director of Senior Connections. She is a licensed clinical social worker, an advocate for underserved communities, and has dedicated over three decades of her career to furthering health and racial equity in the Richmond region. Congratulations, Amy on a well-earned distinction!
Other current RMHF Trustees previously recognized by the YWCA include Tanya Gonzalez and Rudene Mercer Haynes, both recognized in 2023. Three previous RMHF Trustees and Staff Emeriti have also been honored, including Judith B. Collins, Sheryl Garland, and Cynthia Newbille. We are so proud that our board leaders continue to have such a positive impact on our community!
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Back in January, we provided a pre-General Assembly Session update, focused on our partners’ policy and advocacy work. These efforts were and continue to be part of our focus on driving systemic changes in alignment with our Strategic Framework.
Since then, the 2024 General Assembly Session has concluded, a veto session took place in April, and a special session is taking place this month to finalize a statewide budget. We feel this is a perfect time to provide a brief update on our partners’ efforts.
We are proud of these organizations, and we applaud their tireless dedication to passing important, equity-driven legislation in critical policy areas including healthcare, workforce and the economy, and public education and childcare.
Many of the bills our partners advocated for passed the General Assembly and made it to the Governor’s desk. While some were signed and some were vetoed, the Governor also made a record number of amendments to legislation. Many of these amendments, specifically in the tenants’ rights space, the General Assembly rejected, and sent back to the Governor for additional review.
While there is still significant work to do and some important bills that were ultimately defeated, our hardworking partners played a crucial role in protecting existing laws and making sure no ground was lost. They also remain dedicated to advocating for health and racial equity, and we are proud to support them.
To track all legislation related to these issues, the online Legislative Information System (LIS) offers an easy way to review bills based on policy area. You can find the full list of bills the Governor has signed so far here. If you wish to dig deeper, you can also find a list of bills that were introduced in a specific policy area here.
Additionally, leaders in the House and Senate were in the middle of budget negotiations with the Governor prior to the May 13 reconvene session. Critical decisions about funding are being made, and our partner organizations are keeping a close eye on developments and continuing to advocate for a budget that meets the needs of our under-resourced communities.
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Compensation, Benefits, and Work Culture Survey report
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This survey was based on feedback we received from across the region, and provided an opportunity to hear candidly from staff members and identify areas of improvement.
We commissioned Warren Whitney, a consulting firm in Richmond, to conduct the survey and develop a report. One of the major takeaways? Employees are looking for consistency in both staffing and benefits; they want clarity.
While those who participated have already seen the results, we feel strongly the report should be shared widely. We believe it could help strengthen nonprofits, provide helpful data on how to better focus resources, and lead to more collaboration across the philanthropic community. It could also improve workforce equity by including more voices in the decision-making process and making compensation and benefits decisions more transparent.
We are proud to have helped support this survey, which you can view and download here.
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RMHF President & CEO Recognized with Salvation Army Award
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Please join us in congratulating RMHF President & CEO, Reginald “Reggie” Gordon, who was recently named a recipient of the 2024 Salvation Army Shield Award for Individual Excellence!
The recognition came at the Salvation Army Central Virginia’s Leaders Doing the Most Good Awards Luncheon. Reggie was honored for his contributions to RMHF, as well as his six years of service on the Salvation Army Central Virginia’s Advisory Board, his poverty reduction work with the City of Richmond, and his continued efforts to improve equity and access to critical services through various nonprofit boards and leadership roles.
You can read the full press release here.
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