Feb 5

Community Action Provides Critical Support During Richmond Water Outage

Last month, the Richmond area faced a serious and widespread crisis following a snowstorm in the region. After the storm, Richmond’s water pumps failed, then backup pump failed, and finally the backup to the backup pump failed. The city was placed under a boil water advisory, however there was no water to boil. Capital Area Partnership Uplifting People, Inc. (CAPUP) quickly pivoted to address the urgent needs of the community. With store shelves emptied, the CAPUP team drove up to 30 miles to secure cases of water.

CAPUP’s first priority was seniors enrolled in the agency’s Senior Café program. Due to mobility challenges and the temporary closure of the café, CAPUP staff personally delivered cases of water to 17 seniors who reported having none. They then assisted a homeless shelter housing 17 families (51 individuals) who had no access to water. In addition to stocking their food pantry, they extended their efforts south of the James River in Richmond, providing water directly to 29 households, serving a total of 89 individuals.

In all, CAPUP was able to deliver lifesaving water to 89 households, reaching 197 individuals. “I’m incredibly proud of our team for stepping up in a time of crisis, all while managing their daily responsibilities,” stated CAPUP Director Michael Rogers.

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The Virginia Community Action Partnership and the Virginia Office of Economic Opportunity works together to provide all Virginia Community Action Agencies with the training and technical assistance needed to be successful. We aim to provide training for all levels of staff at an agency and board members.

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