The Robins Foundation mission is to lead transformational change in the greater Richmond community by listening, learning and engaging through innovative philanthropy that inspires solutions to society’s greatest challenges. We are committed to supporting organizations throughout the region that share our interest in enriching whole families and whole neighborhoods as we continue to build on our founders’ vision of working towards a greater, stronger Richmond for all.
Our intent in launching the Partnership for Families (PFF) and building the Lora M. Robins Family Learning Center (LMRFLC) was to support vulnerable families in Northside neighborhoods and ensure children were ready for kindergarten.
The most important element of our assessment process is listening to the voices of the families in the community. Together with PFF, we commissioned the Portrait of Vulnerable Families & Community Needs in Richmond’s Northside to understand families’ daily experiences and perceptions of their needs and assets. The report revealed opportunities to make adjustments to better align with the needs and priorities of Northside families.
This study also helped us understand the impact PFF and the LMRFLC have on the community. As a result of this information, PFF is adapting its service delivery model to work more closely with families in the neighborhoods it serves. Robins will research a different approach to the ownership and operation of the LMRFLC to increase the impact of the facility on children and families in the Northside.
Robins Foundation is exploring opportunities for transitioning ownership of the building. The selected partner will provide children’s programming and services, and address the most immediate needs of the community, including childcare and school readiness of children in Northside neighborhoods.
We are taking every step to ensure a smooth transition for children and families, and adequate time will be provided. We expect to finalize the decision (including selection of the partner) in the next 12 months, and we will share that decision once it’s finalized. In the meantime, we’ll continue to engage PFF and all of our partners at the LMRFLC, and we’ll keep the community updated along the way.
Robins remains committed to supporting organizations in Northside and throughout the region that, like Robins, have a strong interest in enriching whole families and whole neighborhoods. Our founders’ vision was to collaborate and engage with others working to nurture a greater, stronger Richmond for all. We will continue to build on this vision.
Please share your questions and comments with us. Community input is important to our process. Email us at info@robinsfdn.org or call (804) 523-1144.
