‘Super Bowl of community resources’: Summer Homies kicks off festival of homeless services in Norfolk

Summer Homies — a festival of resources for homeless people — made its debut Saturday afternoon.

R&B music and the smell of grilled burgers and hot dogs filled the air outside of Calvary Revival Church. Attendees and volunteers huddled around shaded booths and stopped at water stations to help beat the heat.

Inside, volunteers cut hair, trimmed nails and gave blood pressure screenings to the hundreds who attended. CRC provided shuttles for homeless people in Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

Thirteen organizations offered resources and services for the event. Twelve others donated materials and more than $10,000 to bring the event together, CRC spokesperson Andre Toran said.

Toran hopes the event will grow to become a “Super Bowl of community resources” for Virginia.

Amanda Coleman, founder of A Chance of Change, handed out literature about her organization’s housing and care resources for those recovering from substance abuse and mental health issues. She has worked with ministries like CRC across Hampton Roads for years, but said seeing so many community resources together was inspiring.

“Today is really a game changer,” she said.

A line snaked around the free food market in the center of CRC’s parking lot. Crates of canned fruits and vegetables, fresh produce, pantry goods and cleaning supplies were given to those in need.

CRC opened a shower station with eight showers, towels, undergarments, shower shoes and toiletry kits.

A line of cosmology students from Rudy & Kelly Academy volunteered to give free haircuts inside the church. Kelly Cohen attended to give back to the community — and put time toward her class credits.

“Every person who has come here and sat down in these chairs walks away with a smile,” she said.

At the back of the lot, 757 Community Closet hung racks of donated clothes, socks and shoes. Brittany Corinne started the nonprofit a year ago. Once she noticed people in her community needed hygiene products, she started making care kits.

Friends soon sent her donated clothing items and care products. Now, she spends most of her time coordinating with donors and helping put on events like Saturday’s.

“We try to be a part of something that not only serves the purpose of giving back but it’s also fun,” she said. “This particular population, people being unhoused and displaced, a lot of their daily lives are just focused on survival, and not necessarily getting the chance to relax or enjoy themselves.”

CRC has hosted food banks, back-to-school supply drives and housing programs in Norfolk for more than 30 years, said founding pastor and president Courtney McBath. The organization hopes to offer its space, shower system, existing food pantry network and shuttle services to the community.

“This is who we’ve been for 32 years,” McBath said.

Revive Community of Virginia, a sister organization of CRC, was launched during the event. The organization is taking over the church’s community programs and starting new ones. Alex McBath, Courtney’s son, is its executive director.

Courtney McBath hopes a non-religious affiliated organization will help provide resources for those who hesitate to turn to a church.

Norfolk has always had a strong network of community support, Alex McBath said. Over the past few years, as the pandemic brought more people into poverty, he has seen that network grow.

“There are a lot of great people in our community doing things without a lot of support,” he said. “Our hope is to be that support.”