The power of social media is amazing! We’ve raised thousands of dollars through birthday fundraisers on Facebook the past year. It’s something that is so simple, but deeply impactful. If you have a birthday coming up and you’re interested in “donating your birthday”...
Now you can support REF just by shopping on Amazon! Once you designate The River Ellis Foundation as your charitable organization, AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases straight to our organization. It’s SO simple! All you need to do is click here to get setup, then start...
A Newport News mother stayed at her daughter’s bedside when she was admitted to CHKD with a fungal brain infection. Fortunately, her daughter’s condition improved drastically after undergoing brain surgery. As a mental health counselor, the mother was not compensated during the extended time she...
After leaving an abusive marriage, a Newport News mother was working 3 jobs to support her 2 teenaged daughters and herself. Due to COVID-19, she lost all 3 of these jobs in a very short time period. The mother was able to find new employment, but needed assistance paying her rent from the period...
A 2-year-old boy from Franklin passed away suddenly due to Congestive Heart Failure. The day of the funeral, the family was notified that they would be unable to hold the scheduled memorial service for him unless a payment was made to the funeral home beforehand. The family was unable to afford...
A 17 year old boy suffered from two cardiac arrests that resulted in a severe physical disability. He was stabilized during his hospitalization at CHKD, but the family was required to install a ramp at their Norfolk home in order for him to be discharged from the hospital. They were unable to...
Check out our Coast Live interview as part of the One Hour Cares Competition! https://www.wtkr.com/coast-live/a-local-nonprofit-helping-those-facing-unexpected-hardships-on-coast-live?fbclid=IwAR3Int-hicrgjxKI1Vl4ugJ5hLNzVfgu-yN60wM96WJ5OgdJfo4Kem2FcmI Remember to vote for us...
A mother’s car was totaled while driving to her first day of work at a preschool. Her three-year-old daughter was also in the car and was attending preschool for her very first time. Both sustained only minor injuries, but without transportation the mother would no longer be able to keep her new...
The grandparents and sole providers of two special needs children found themselves without a home after their house burned down earlier this year. Without home insurance, this Hampton family was unable to afford a new house that could accommodate their grandchildren’s special needs. On top of...
A rising 2nd grader in Virginia Beach passed away suddenly and unexpectedly, leaving behind a grieving family. His mother was unable to pay for his funeral service as a single parent who was already experiencing financial difficulties. The River Ellis Foundation was able to assist in covering the...
Trish Gill is from Virginia Beach and serves as the HR Benefits Manager at TowneBank. She lives with her husband, Tom, and daughter Darby (age 9). They also have a 9-year-old yellow lab named Arleigh and a 20-year-old cat named Kitty. Trish loves to spend her time doing crafts, shopping, gardening...
In honor of River’s birthday each September, we hold a Paddle Out to celebrate the love that she continues to spread through The River Ellis Foundation. Due to COVID-19, we are unable to hold our paddle out in person this year, but we want YOU to have a DIY Paddle Out to spread some love and...