Partnership for Petersburg Weekly Update

Friday, September 29, 2023

Welcome back Secretary. Thank you for keeping up with the Partnership!

What our team did in the past week...

· celebrated one year of the Partnership with the Governor, First Lady, our Partners, and the greater Petersburg Community;

· furthered discussions relating to a financial literacy program to be unveiled in Petersburg; and

· showcased the testimonials of six Petersburg residents highlighting the Partnership's success in altering their lives!

Thanks for all you do!

Garrison R. Coward

Sr. Advisor, External Affairs

Allison Youngblood

Program Manager

Amber Salter

Policy Advisor

Meade Spotts II

Operations Coordinator

The First Lady's Office

A Party in Petersburg!

In honor of the 1-year anniversary of the Partnership for Petersburg, the First Lady joined the Governor and leaders from Petersburg to celebrate progress in community safety, health care accessibility, education, business and economic growth, improved transportation, and community morale.

The testimonials from parents, community leaders, students, and local employees were distinctly touching as they emphasized the positive impact of this partnership on their lives.

The First Lady visited with many of the female leaders of impactful nonprofits which she routinely partners within Petersburg -- Communities in Schools, Pathways, Regenesis, Urban Baby Beginnings, YMCA, the Petersburg Women’s Club and more.

To learn more about the Partnership for Petersburg and the amazing work being done, please visit the website.

The Governor's Office

One Year Celebration

Governor Glenn Younkin, First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, Mayor Sam Parham, Delegate Kim Taylor and Secretariat and City Leadership kicked off the event on Wednesday in the Petersburg Public Library with hundreds of community members and partners in attendance.

The program included six testimonials from community members who spoke on topics from feeling safer in the community to the life changing support received from community organizations.

After hearing from the testimonial speakers and the remarks of the Governor, First Lady, Mayor, and Delegate on the successes of the Partnership, the crowd proceeded outside to join the Governor in his procession through the six Secretariat tables that were set-up to showcase each of the six original pillars of the Partnership to include: Keep Our Communities Safe, Improve Access to Healthcare, Prepare Petersburg Students for Life, Keep Petersburg Moving, Build Relations with Community and Faith Leaders, and Foster Business & Economic Growth.

Each table had a scorecard that showcased the accomplishments of the partnership in relation to the original pillars. This was a true testament to "promises made, promises kept."

In addition to the Secretariat tables, numerous Partners set-up displays and educated community members on opportunities and programs in Petersburg. These Partners included: the Department of Veterans Affairs, The Urban League, Buffalo Soldiers, the Virginia Employment Commission, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, Conexus Vision, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, DMAS STARs, and the Department of Social Services.

The icing on the cake were the food trucks which included Mr. Q's BBQ and Sonny's, as well as the Virginia State Police Help Eliminate Auto Theft (HEAT) Truck, and Aetna's Mobile Clinic bus which provided free health screenings during the event.

To learn more about the event and the accomplishments of the last year, visit the news articles at the bottom of the page and watch the below videos from the day!

Petersburg Fact of the Week

Byrne Street USO Club

Located in the City of Petersburg, the Byrne Street USO Club was constructed in 1942 as a United Service Organization (USO) facility offering recreational services and entertainment programs for African American troops during military segregation in World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the USO on February 4, 1941, to maintain morale among soldiers shortly before the country entered the Second World War. The U.S. military provided supplies and labor for the construction of USO buildings. Until the end of World War II, the Byrne Street USO Club functioned as a space for Black servicemen to socialize safely and for the troops and their families to receive aid. Virginia State University acquired the property in 1948 and ensured the clubhouse remained in use as a recreational center for the African American community in Petersburg after the war. The Beaux Twenty Club, a male civic and service organization formed by the community’s Black businessmen, including Virginia’s first African American mayor H. E. Fauntleroy, Jr., made the Byrne Street USO Club building its headquarters from the 1960s to ca. 2018.

123-5054. DHR. (2023, June 2). https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/123-5054/

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Upcoming Petersburg Events

Sep 29

City of Petersburg Parks and Recreation Senior Program

Community Outreach (Optima)

418 E. Halifax St.

Sep 30

Joy 2K-5K Run/Walk

Community Outreach (United, Anthem, Aetna)

444 Halifax St.

Sep 30

CORA-Safe Sleep

418 Halifax St.

Petersburg Fact of the Week

Byrne Street USO Club