Mayor Stoney today announced that the city requested and has been granted a local delay of the state’s reopening plan. The city will move into Phase One no earlier than May 28.
 
“I want to thank Governor Northam for working with us,” said Mayor Stoney. “This step will make Richmond safer as we face this challenge together.”
 
The city has experienced an increase in both positive cases and percent positivity in the past two weeks. Percent positivity speaks to the intersection of the spread of the virus and the recently enhanced testing capacity; the metric represents the percentage of people tested who have been positively diagnosed.

The state provided the Stoney Administration with the information on local percent positivity on Thursday morning, which then allowed the city to formally request a delay.
 
The mayor cited that data provided by the state as the key factor in applying for the delay.
 
“Right now, the data is showing an increase in percent positivity over the past two weeks. Therefore, I cannot justify risking the health and safety of the residents of the City of Richmond by moving forward with Phase One.”
 
The governor plans to move the majority of the state into Phase 1 of the reopening plan on Friday, May 15. A coalition of Northern Virginia localities have applied for and been granted a delay.
 
In his letter to Governor Northam and during Thursday’s announcement, Mayor Stoney emphasized the outsized effect the pandemic is having on Richmond’s most vulnerable, including communities of color and essential workers.
 
“For me, it’s not just the total number of cases in the region or the city that I believe we must be vigilant in monitoring – it’s the impact this disease is having on our most vulnerable,” said Mayor Stoney. “It’s the essential personnel, the grocery workers, the uber drivers, the restaurant workers and my own employees here at city hall.”
 
In the press conference, Mayor Stoney cited the disparate impact the disease has on Black Richmonders as a reason he requested the delay, stating, “In Richmond, 16 out of the 18 resident deaths have been Black people. This is a factor we can’t ignore.”
 
On Wednesday, May 13, the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus published a letter in opposition to reopening on Friday due to the disproportionate toll it may take on the Black community. On Thursday, May 14, the Richmond branch of the NAACP issued a press release supporting Mayor Stoney’s decision to request a delay.
 
The mayor indicated he will continue to prioritize areas that are at the highest-risk of community spread and fatality, making a request that the state continue to support the city in its targeted, intentional testing events.
 
He also made an appeal to the business community, thanking them for saving lives with their patience and compliance.
 
“Please be patient with me and my administration as we work to ensure community safety. I’m so thankful to you for making tough, responsible decisions in the face of a global crisis.”
 
The city will provide specific guidance in the coming days to businesses affected by this delay in reopening, making sure all parties are informed of expectations.

For timely updates on the city’s response to COVID-19 and a list of available city services, visit richmondgov.com/covid19.
 
For those who need help and those who want to help, visit Richmond’s resource hub, rvastrong.org.

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This week the Stoney administration announced the city and state have collaborated to roughly 40 thousand units of personal protective equipment (PPE) to underserved neighborhoods in Richmond.
 
At the outset of the pandemic, the Office of Mayor Levar Stoney reached out to the state concerned about the evident racial disparities in the infection and mortality rates associated with COVID-19.
 
In response, the state has obtained 20 thousand face masks, 20 thousand bottles of hand sanitizers, and 10 thousand printed public health resources for the city to distribute in its communities most vulnerable to the disease.
 
The program aims to increase equitable access to PPE to communities that may be most adversely impacted by COVID-19 in an effort to safeguard them against the virus. Data shows that people of color are dying from COVID-19 at disproportionate rates and that immigrant and undocumented populations are also suffering disparately. 
 
“COVID-19 isn’t singular in its disproportionate effect on communities of color with high poverty rates,” said Mayor Stoney. “The healthcare disparities highlighted by this pandemic are a manifestation of historic injustices, which we can help address with targeted, equity-driven efforts like this program.”
 
“Virginia is ensuring equitable access to healthcare resources and comprehensive support to our most vulnerable communities,” said Governor Northam. “We will continue to encourage and enhance these efforts as we move through the various phases of re-opening Virginia.”
 
Distributed by the Richmond Fire Department in collaboration with community members, the hand sanitizer and masks will help reduce the spread of the virus in communities that would have otherwise lacked access to the in-demand items. 
 
“The Richmond Fire Department believes in providing the best possible health outcomes for communities in need,” said Chief Melvin Carter of the Richmond Fire Department. “Our goal is to improve community health during and after this pandemic, which starts with engaging the communities that need it most. In the upcoming months, distribution of supplies will continue across the city for targeted areas of need.”
 
The distribution plan is based on exhibited need. The state has provided the city with health equity data by Census tract to facilitate the city’s distribution effort.
 
Additionally, the state has provided health equity training to Richmond Fire employees.
 
Program administrators are also identifying need through engaging with neighborhood and community leaders and amplifying the efforts of groups already distributing personal protective equipment on a smaller scale.
 
“We will continue to work in collaboration with individuals and groups within the community to ensure we reach, to the greatest extent possible, the populations in Richmond who don’t have everyday access to these potentially life-saving resources,” said Osita Iroegbu, Senior Policy Advisor to Mayor Stoney. “We hope to strengthen this pilot in ways that will deepen engagement with the community and build greater opportunities for access and equity for our community members who too often go overlooked and underserved.”
 
By inviting trusted community voices into the conversation, the city aims to ensure an inclusive, collaborative community engagement approach to this health equity effort.
 
Questions about the program and distribution plan should be directed to Osita Iroegbu at osita.iroegbu@richmondgov.com.

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This week the Stoney administration announced the city and state have collaborated to roughly 40 thousand units of personal protective equipment (PPE) to underserved neighborhoods in Richmond.
 
At the outset of the pandemic, the Office of Mayor Levar Stoney reached out to the state concerned about the evident racial disparities in the infection and mortality rates associated with COVID-19.
 
In response, the state has obtained 20 thousand face masks, 20 thousand bottles of hand sanitizers, and 10 thousand printed public health resources for the city to distribute in its communities most vulnerable to the disease.
 
The program aims to increase equitable access to PPE to communities that may be most adversely impacted by COVID-19 in an effort to safeguard them against the virus. Data shows that people of color are dying from COVID-19 at disproportionate rates and that immigrant and undocumented populations are also suffering disparately. 
 
“COVID-19 isn’t singular in its disproportionate effect on communities of color with high poverty rates,” said Mayor Stoney. “The healthcare disparities highlighted by this pandemic are a manifestation of historic injustices, which we can help address with targeted, equity-driven efforts like this program.”
 
“Virginia is ensuring equitable access to healthcare resources and comprehensive support to our most vulnerable communities,” said Governor Northam. “We will continue to encourage and enhance these efforts as we move through the various phases of re-opening Virginia.”
 
Distributed by the Richmond Fire Department in collaboration with community members, the hand sanitizer and masks will help reduce the spread of the virus in communities that would have otherwise lacked access to the in-demand items. 
 
“The Richmond Fire Department believes in providing the best possible health outcomes for communities in need,” said Chief Melvin Carter of the Richmond Fire Department. “Our goal is to improve community health during and after this pandemic, which starts with engaging the communities that need it most. In the upcoming months, distribution of supplies will continue across the city for targeted areas of need.”
 
The distribution plan is based on exhibited need. The state has provided the city with health equity data by Census tract to facilitate the city’s distribution effort.
 
Additionally, the state has provided health equity training to Richmond Fire employees.
 
Program administrators are also identifying need through engaging with neighborhood and community leaders and amplifying the efforts of groups already distributing personal protective equipment on a smaller scale.
 
“We will continue to work in collaboration with individuals and groups within the community to ensure we reach, to the greatest extent possible, the populations in Richmond who don’t have everyday access to these potentially life-saving resources,” said Osita Iroegbu, Senior Policy Advisor to Mayor Stoney. “We hope to strengthen this pilot in ways that will deepen engagement with the community and build greater opportunities for access and equity for our community members who too often go overlooked and underserved.”
 
By inviting trusted community voices into the conversation, the city aims to ensure an inclusive, collaborative community engagement approach to this health equity effort.
 
Questions about the program and distribution plan should be directed to Osita Iroegbu at osita.iroegbu@richmondgov.com.

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“This budget is not the budget we first proposed, nor is it the budget we wanted, but it’s the budget we have to live with in light of these most difficult and challenging times. Amid the uncertainty of this pandemic, we must be prepared to make adjustments as we go, and we fully expect to do so in the coming months.
 
“To that end, I’d like to express my sincere appreciation to the members of City Council and their staff for all their hard work, cooperation and collaboration with my team, as well as for their commitment, going forward, to meeting the needs of our residents and advance the city’s priorities in a manner that is fiscally prudent and equitable.”

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At a press conference today, Mayor Stoney officially declared Richmond a “City of Compassion.” In doing so, Richmond joins a global movement, the Charter for Compassion, dedicated to leading with compassion through treating all people, regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or economic status, with dignity and respect. 
 
“This proclamation is also an invitation,” said the mayor. “Compassion is using your gifts and talents to lift up your neighbor, building a stronger community through that service. We can all play a role in this effort.”
 
The effort was led by Befriend, a new platform that aims to create friendships and connections throughout the city in an effort to recognize and break down socioeconomic barriers between Richmonders. It has been championed by the Mayor’s Office as a vehicle to promote tangible, compassionate action during a challenging time for all.
 
The mayor urged individuals and businesses to sign up to serve as a Compassion Connecter, centering compassion in all acts, big and small. Those interested can do so at www.befriendmovement.org, where they can also learn about the global effort to build compassion.
 
“Being a Compassionate City is much more than a label,” says Mollie Reinhart, Founder of Befriend. “The proclamation creates a unifying standard around how Richmond legislates, how we live, and how we connect and thrive. 
 
Befriend is represented on the Human Services Cabinet. The Human Services Cabinet for the City of Richmond is comprised of the local subject matter experts on basic human needs like food, housing, public health, employment, and education. It also includes experts that serve specific populations like older adults and individuals with highly specialized needs, as well as professionals who specialize in connecting those populations to the services they need.
 
The Human Services Cabinet convened with the intention of unifying the citywide human services response to community needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Human Services and leader of the group Reggie Gordon holds that it will go beyond meeting immediate need resulting from the pandemic.
 
“Though the Human Services Cabinet was launched in the urgent context of the pandemic, it will have ongoing value to the community after the pandemic is behind us,” said Reggie Gordon. “It will continue to find better ways to align resources and collaborative ways to address community problems.”
 
The Human Services Cabinet addresses the need for compassionate efforts throughout the city to connect – both with each other and with those who require services. According to the member of the cabinet, the mayor’s declaring Richmond a Compassionate City is in line with that vision.
 
“In the city, we center compassion through transforming systems to serve individuals who need them, and then empowering those individuals through restorative justice and equity,” said the Mayor. “Everyone can join that effort by practicing compassionate acts.”
 
For more information:
 
For opportunities to support organizations centering on compassion, visit www.RVAStrong.org and navigate to a cause close to your heart.
 
To sign up to become a Compassion Connector, visit www.befriendmovement.org. For ease of access, the Befriend effort will also be linked on the home page of RVAStrong.
 
You can learn more about the global movement at www.CharterforCompassion.org.
 
For more information on the proclamation, becoming a Compassion Connector, or the effort as a whole, contact Mollie Reinhart at mollie@befriendmovement.org.
 
Click here to read the mayor’s proclamation.

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