Grantee Spotlight: Williamsburg House of Mercy

Oct 27, 2025 | Uncategorized

Grantee Spotlight: Williamsburg House of Mercy

By: WHF Staff

After 41 years as a Sisters of Mercy school teacher, Sister Mary Berenice Eltz decided to shift her focus to serve people with low incomes and experiencing hardship. As a parish minister for the St. Olaf and St. Bede communities, she touched the lives of many people in Williamsburg, Virginia. Her legacies of dedication and service to individuals and families in need continue today at the Williamsburg House of Mercy.

Williamsburg House of Mercy (WHOM), located in the heart of Williamsburg, believes mercy is a verb. Specifically, mercy is an action that gives comfort and hope to people who are experiencing hardship. Their focus includes addressing food insecurity, providing Outreach Financial Assistance, managing the Harbor Day Shelter, and operating the Hope Pregnancy Center. These services impact the lives of many of the approximately 14% of Greater Williamsburg residents living below the poverty line and the 28% – 35% of households that are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.

Addressing Food Insecurity

Healthy People 2030 aims to improve health by promoting healthy eating and increasing access to nutritious foods. Following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which promotes a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, can help individuals maintain good health. On the other hand, food insecurity can have significant impacts on a person’s long-term health and is associated with diet-related chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity. According to WHOM’s latest Impact Report, they helped improve access to nutritious foods and combat food insecurity in Greater Williamsburg by providing meals to more than 2,400 households and serving nearly 10,300 meals at the Community Kitchen.

Williamsburg Health Foundation (WHF) Support

Williamsburg House of Mercy’s focus on food insecurity aligns with WHF’s strategic plan. The weekday community kitchen and food distribution programs contribute to the Foundation’s vision of individuals making healthy choices in a community with health opportunities for all. The Foundation has supported WHOM’s mission through 17 grants totaling $256,000 since 2016. To learn more about WHOM’s service to the community, please visit their website https://williamsburghouseofmercy.org/.

WHF is an independent private health foundation with the mission to collaborate, innovate, and invest to impact systems that improve the health and well-being of individuals living in Greater Williamsburg. The Foundation was established in September 1996 when the Williamsburg Community Hospital and Sentara developed an affiliation agreement and later merged. This agreement included a provision for a new, locally organized, and managed Foundation to benefit community health. Since inception, WHF has awarded over $116 million in grants to improve community health and well-being.

Grantee Spotlight: Child Development Resources Offers a Two-Generation Approach to Improving Health

Jan 2, 2025 | Grantee Spotlight

Grantee Spotlight: Child Development Resources Offers a Two-Generation Approach to Improving Health

By: WHF Staff

Every child deserves a strong start in life, but for some, challenges begin before they take their first step. For children with developmental delays or disabilities, the early years can set the course for their entire lives. Recognizing this, Child Development Resources (CDR) has provided early childhood intervention services to children and their families in Greater Williamsburg since 1965. CDR’s early identification and intervention services can significantly enhance a child’s ability to learn new skills, build resilience, and succeed.

Originally established as the Williamsburg Preschool for Special Children, CDR was founded by a group of citizens to address the lack of education programs for community children with developmental delays or disabilities. At that time, public schools could refuse to accept children with developmental delays, and it wasn’t until Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in November 1975 that children with disabilities were guaranteed the right to a free and appropriate education. In response to the new law, the organization changed their name to Child Development Resources and shifted their focus to providing services to infants and toddlers and training for childcare professionals.

Today, CDR serves about 3,100 children and their families in Greater Williamsburg and Poquoson through 10 programs. Their two-generation approach supports the child and provides skill-building for the parents and caregivers. CDR’s 85 specialists provide a variety of services from physical, speech, and occupational therapy to helping parents find community resources such as housing, healthcare, and nutrition assistance.

CDR’s work aligns with WHF’s Strategic Plan by targeting behavioral and social risk factors that influence the health of individuals throughout the life span. WHF is a longtime supporter of CDR. Since 1997, the Foundation has awarded 90 grants totaling over $5.2 million to help CDR advance their mission and purpose “to inspire and empower children, families, and early childhood professionals to reach their full potential, whatever their challenges.”

CDR recently began renovations on a new facility off Waller Mill Road in Williamsburg to consolidate their four locations and five buildings into one centralized Family Resource Center. The new facility, expected to open in March 2026, will allow CDR to provide wrap-around, comprehensive, and coordinated services to more children. WHF is pleased to support CDR’s efforts to bring its services under one roof.

To learn more about CDR’s programs or the status of their new facility, visit their website: www.cdr.org.

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The Williamsburg Health Foundation (WHF) is a private health foundation with the mission to collaborate, innovate, and invest to impact systems that improve the health and well-being of individuals living in Greater Williamsburg. The Foundation was established in September 1996 when the Williamsburg Community Hospital and Sentara developed an affiliation agreement and later merged. This agreement included a provision for a new, locally organized, and managed Foundation to benefit community health. Since inception, WHF has awarded over $110 million in grants to improve community health and well-being.

Grant Spotlight: New Community Fitness Court Adds Opportunities for Exercise in Greater Williamsburg

Nov 11, 2024 | Grantee Spotlight

Grantee Spotlight: New Community Fitness Court Adds Opportunities for Exercise in Greater Williamsburg

By: WHF Staff

Greater Williamsburg residents and visitors now have access to a new, state-of-the-art outdoor Fitness Court located in the Warhill Complex in James City County. Designed for people aged 14 and up, the Fitness Court provides free access to exercise equipment, offering users a full-body workout in less than 10 minutes. Court users can access a library of workout content tailored to their fitness level by scanning the QR code on the court or downloading the Fitness Court App.

Research shows that improving the built environment by increasing accessible physical exercise space contributes to community health by encouraging more people to become and remain physically active — potentially reducing obesity rates and improving overall health and well-being. For example, adults with access to recreational facilities are 42% more likely to meet the American Health Association’s Physical Activity Guidelines than those without access. Yet, for many underserved populations, cost can be a barrier. The new Fitness Court addresses this potential obstacle by offering free access so everyone who lives, works, and plays in the community has the opportunity to be physically active.

The Williamsburg Health Foundation is pleased to highlight this new community resource, an evidence-based approach to promoting active living. Access to the free high-quality Fitness Court removes a barrier to physical fitness and increases opportunities to be healthier in Greater Williamsburg.

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The Williamsburg Health Foundation (WHF) is a private health foundation with the mission to collaborate, innovate, and invest to impact systems that improve the health and well-being of individuals living in Greater Williamsburg. The Foundation was established in September 1996 when the Williamsburg Community Hospital and Sentara developed an affiliation agreement and later merged. This agreement included a provision for a new, locally organized, and managed Foundation to benefit community health. Since inception, WHF has awarded over $110 million in grants to improve community health and well-being.

Grantee Spotlight – The Arc of Greater Williamsburg Improves Quality of Life

Sep 3, 2024 | Grantee Spotlight

Grantee Spotlight – The Arc of Greater Williamsburg Improves Quality of Life

By: WHF Staff

The Arc of Greater Williamsburg has served adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our community since 1976. When young adults with disabilities age out of public school at age 22, they often find a gap in services. Through their many programs and activities, The Arc aims to reduce this gap and enhance the quality of life for their clients in the Greater Williamsburg Area. These activities include educational, health and wellness, life skills, cultural, social, and recreational enrichment programs to help clients reinforce their existing skills and acquire new ones. The Arc also provides clients with door-to-door transportation to their programs, which makes participation possible and provides caregivers a respite.

The Williamsburg Health Foundation supports The Arc’s Fitness Program, which plays an important role in maintaining and improving clients’ health and well-being. Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are less likely to engage in physical activity and spend more time being sedentary than those without intellectual disabilities. This physical inactivity leads to higher rates of obesity and diabetes when compared to the general population. The Arc’s Fitness Program reduces barriers to engaging in physical activity by providing a 90-minute weekly fitness and wellness class, where clients receive round-trip transportation to and from their homes. In 2023, The Arc provided 1,422 hours of fitness classes to 179 residents of Greater Williamsburg, and they anticipate numbers will remain consistent this year.

To learn more about The Arc of Greater Williamsburg’s programs to improve the quality of life for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, please visit their website.

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The Williamsburg Health Foundation (WHF) is a private health foundation with the mission to collaborate, innovate, and invest to impact systems that improve the health and well-being of individuals living in Greater Williamsburg. The Foundation was established in September 1996 when the Williamsburg Community Hospital and Sentara developed an affiliation agreement and later merged. This agreement included a provision for a new, locally organized, and managed Foundation to benefit community health. Since inception, WHF has awarded over $110 million in grants to improve community health and well-being.