Little Black Book |
Two men walk into a bar…
Well it’s not quite THAT kind of a story, but here’s the gist of how Richmond Unite came into existence:
In 2009 Pat Hull and Carroll Hurst were catching up with each other when Pat mentioned that he would again be in the company of Sir Richard Branson. Carroll suggested to Pat that perhaps that connection could be used to do something good – and BIG – for folks right here in the Richmond area. Pat loved the idea, so while he, his wife Bella, and Project Director Alice Lingerfelt were visiting Sir Richard on Necker Island, Sir Richard quickly and sincerely agreed to come to Richmond to support a great cause. (Okay, we acknowledge that not EVERYONE knows Sir Richard…so go here for the quick primer)
The desire was and still is to produce an outrageously memorable, fun event that unites the people of greater RVA for the purpose of improving the lives of our youth and showcasing our incredible city. Whether we hold an annual event or smaller, quicker events, our goal will always be to bring together the Greater Richmond region to support charities that benefit our youth. Not only will this impact be felt locally, but through our collaboration with the respected and global non-profit Virgin Unite, our efforts will be part of a global movement.
A brief overview of the 2011 Project – it was a great success!
- Friday September 9, 2011: a conference, a foodies delight decadent dinner and an all-out-anything-goes after party with Sir Richard
- Every organization in the Richmond area who provides services to Richmond’s youth was able to throw their hat in the ring to receive a portion of the proceeds (view the 2011 list of organizations that made it across the finish line)
- Every person in the world was able to vote on the charities that were bidding for the funds and the disbursement percentage of funds was decided by the public vote
- ALL non-profit organizations in the Greater Richmond area were invited to participate and also have a chance to earn funds for their own causes. They participated by using their patron lists to market the project and sell tickets…in exchange earning funds they may not had previously planned on.
- Richmond Unite Restaurant Project: Restaurants in the Richmond area helped promote the Richmond Unite message (come on now, how hard is it to do your part while dining and having a glass of wine?) Drop us a line to stay informed, or if you are a restaurant and want to sign-up.
- OVER $107,000 WAS GIVEN TO THE PARTICIPATING CHARITIES – ALL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN RVA!
A Brief Overview of the Successes of 2012:
- All RVA nonprofits were invited to apply for a grant again.
- Every person in the world was again able to vote for their favorite charities to help us determine how to distribute the funds.
- OVER $75,000 WAS GIVEN TO 31 CHARITIES WHO SERVICE THE YOUTH OF RVA!
Richmond Unite is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Here are our papers, just in case you want to verify: Incorporation Certificate and IRS Determination Ltr
