Ronald McDonald House Richmond has been a godsend. Our little one had to be scheduled for a long…read moreterm stay at one of the nearby hospitals and the hospital was out of beds for us to stay while he was in recovery . Luckily RMHR had some open space and we were allowed to stay during the duration of our little guys recovery. The staff is very friendly and the facilities very clean. They help families here by providing meals and a caring environment . The house rules are reasonable and common sense - no alcohol, no visiting guests during Covid , clean up after yourself, be respectful to other guest during quiet hours, etc. The house is a big help to us as our little guy's hospital stay will likely put a ding in our wallets. Their charity will greatly help us out financially since we don't have to get a hotel on our own. They recommend but don't require a suggested $15/night donation to the charity which I feel is more than fair. Thank you, Ronald McDonald House Richmond!

I love this place. Charities usually rub me the wrong way due to behind the scenes stuff that…read morenever gets anything done, but this place does everything correct. Very friendly staff members and volunteers whom are all super patient. Good food provided daily and it gives one peace of mind and the ability to focus in on the recovery of the patient

Old facility. Small workout area. Limited class spaces. Feels like everyone is on top of everyone…read moreelse. Not a horrible gym, but could use some love.

Front desk needs some customer service remedial training on tone of voice and verbiage. I was…read moretold by her I was out of line by and bothering her by asking for an update about no pool guard after waiting for over 30 minutes. I was told she can't help me, there is no information, and that I was told when I came in to have coffee or leave because of the situation. Sad that there obviously is no guard back up system in place and now almost an hour later no one. I waited because of the timing of the rest of my day. This also is my second visit. And most likely my last. I can see why this gym seems under populated with guests.

I had the privilege of a day pass at this local YMCA. I was here because my husband was taking a…read moreclass and needed to get a workout in on a Sunday. Let me tell you something about this location, they are on point! From the minute you for in the door you smell fresh coffee brewing and the building is immaculate. From the vending machines to the windows to the front desk, the managers and wellness coordinators miss nothing. The workout theatre is very well laid out and equipment is easily accessed. They have great cable equipment as well as a super dumbbell rack and benches. Medicine balls, padded plyo boxes, sand bags, weighted bars, exercise balls....they have an incredible selection. There are very few exercises that cannot be performed in this gym. I had to do banded lateral lunges in my workout today. So, I just went out into the hall and had plenty of room. The bathrooms are spotless and they supply lotions and spray and other toiletries in the ladies room. As well as offering classes, they also offer personal training. Zack is the wellness coordinator and I watched him train a client and it was impressive. You can feel confident in the professionalism of all of the employees at this Y. There is a beautiful indoor pool at this location. It is beautiful and more than well equipped with a lifeguard and equipment adaptations for disabilities. It's been a great Sunday. I wish I lived closer because I'd exercise here regularly!:)

Staff was extremely unhelpful. I went over there to swim, and I was told that because the class was…read morescheduled even though there was two people in the pool I was unable to use a lap plane. No one would even attempt to make an exception. The place is nasty, dirty anyway.

For nearly half a century, Virginia Pride has operated as an all-volunteer outlet aiming to…read moreincrease awareness and foster acceptance of LGBTQ+ people across Central Virginia. While its mission won't be changing, its capacity to fight for queer causes is about to get a boost thanks to a merger with Diversity Richmond. "This announcement has been in the works for two years," says Stephanie Merlo, president of Virginia Pride's board of directors. "Since 2015, our budget has gone up by 500% and we're doing a whole lot more advocacy as well, which has put a strain on our volunteers who run the whole organization." Once the paperwork is complete, Virginia Pride will officially become a program of Diversity Richmond with James Millner, the current volunteer executive director of Virginia Pride, working as a paid program manager. The advantages of the merger, however, go far beyond finally compensating one of their hardest-working members. "We have similar missions, but we bring different strengths to the table," says Luise "Cheezi" Farmer, chair of Diversity's board of directors. "We have the organizational infrastructure and the money that will help Virginia Pride grow. Some folks from their board will be coming over to join ours, so we will become a stronger, more inclusive organization." Although both Virginia Pride and Diversity have been led by cisgender, white, gay men for decades, over the last few years its activism and charity work have increasingly centered the lived experiences and daily needs of the broader community. With queer women of color leading both organizations' boards for the first time ever, that pivot towards greater engagement with Richmond's Black and growing Latinx populations isn't going anywhere. "We are making the effort to show up and lead," Farmer says. "You can't talk the talk and not walk the walk. We want people to know that we're inclusive and not just about white-male-led organizations. Diversity starts at home and you have to involve yourself in the community if you want it to grow." Last summer with the Black Lives Matter movement enjoying unprecedented popularity and Richmond's streets nightly swarmed with protesters, Merlo decided it was time to show solidarity. Watching her own father violently arrested over an unpaid traffic ticket as a child, she realized early on that unequal treatment before the law is a fact of life for people of color in America. In response, she worked with Virginia Pride, Diversity and a whole host of other local queer organizations to put together Stonewall Rising, a thousand-man march to the city's police training academy to call for change in the way officers learn to interact with the public. The list of groups that joined the call proved nearly as long as the rows of marchers calling for justice. "I was so hurt and bothered I wasn't seeing a lot of support coming from the LGBTQ+ community," Merlo says. "We as a community have faced our own challenges of discrimination and police brutality which is what the anniversary of the Stonewall riots really embodies. I hope that things change so we never have to do that again." Another issue upon which Virginia Pride and Diversity have grown closer in their collaboration over the past year is the pain caused by the pandemic. Lacking access to unemployment insurance and food stamps that have carried other households through, Richmond's Latinx community has shown itself to be especially vulnerable to the coronavirus recession. With hunger on the rise, the two organizations teamed up for a series of food drives. "Last year we provided a free week's supply of groceries to over 1,800 families," says Bill Harrison, president and executive director of Diversity Richmond. "The first two drives targeted local Hispanic communities as many Latinx people work in the hospitality industry, which has been hard hit by the pandemic. The third drive was open to all with over 800 families participating." The bounty didn't go unappreciated. With Feed More providing 8,000 pounds of vegetables and hundreds of pounds of frozen turkeys, hams and chickens to each event, the food drives proved incredibly popular. In 2021, they expect to make the event a quarterly affair. Until it's safe for in-person gatherings, many of the two groups' signature events like the Black & Bold Awards and Pride Fest will remain virtual. In the meantime, both Virginia Pride and Diversity believe the merger will help both organizations become better partners for their community and the region. "This deal gives us the organizational structure and the financial security to know Virginia Pride is going to be around for a very long time," Millner says. "We will continue to do the same kind of programming and advocacy work we've always done, so folks may not even notice the change."

In recent years the community center changed its name to Diversity Richmond, which I think better…read moreencompasses the work that is done here. Attached to the Diversity Thrift store, the center is a space for the greater Richmond community, of all sexual orientations, gender identifies, and faiths, to gather. As a nonprofit the space is donated for free to various events such as fundraisers, support groups, board meetings, play rehearsals, and worship services. It was the space where the community gathered for a vigil and memorial for the Pulse Nightclub victims in 2016, and will be hosting the inaugural Black Pride RVA this upcoming weekend. It also donates shoes and clothing to LGBTQ folks in need, particularly youth and those facing homelessness.

Covid is over, and sanity has returned…read more Good people work here; almost all are personable. My only complaint is they could be a little more attentive to activity in the weight room. (Not their fault; it is club policy.) That kind of monitoring was expected at every varsity gym I worked out in through school, and at the AmFam when I used to work out there. Quite the culturally diverse membership, and in a good way. It feels very West End. This place's hours are still truncated. It would be nice to return to pre-Covid hours.

Love its location but when school is closed it's over crowed with children ...the gym is not always…read moreavailable for basketball ....dont really like the location of the steam room and its co-Ed's deal...the men locker rooms needs an up grade.....

Deceivingly ginormous sports academy hidden in an industrial park. This place is AMAZING. From…read morethe outside it looks like a simple warehouse but once you are inside you feel like you stepped into Emilio Estavez's trailor. The staff is friendly and willing, the trainers are professionals, and the complex itself is surreal. I do all of my weight lifting and soccer training here now.

This review is for Own Touch Central which is held at this location…read more Overall the program they offer is good for youth soccer. Trainers are mostly good, engaged, knowledgeable but a few I have seen them on the phone not as engaged. The reason for the 2 stars is this place is filthy dirty. I don't think have ever cleaned the bathroom ever since they opened over 30 years ago. It's very disappointing to see them being so cheap to hire a janitor to clean weekly for the health of our kids. Everyone is probably breathing mold, I wish this place could get audited for health inspection it would fail in a second.

Wonderful people, wonderful place to volunteer and golly all the good you can do. Take a moment and…read morecheck it out and help a neighbor in need.

Feedmore is now open and operating at their brand new facility! The Feedmore team helps nourish…read morethose in need with food. They offer meeting spaces and plenty of opportunities to volunteer. They also take food donations. Check them out

If a tree grows near the center of town, then does it have a Downtown Branch?…read more Y am I even asking this? I'm what "You Might Call Annoying." Even though it's in an old crumbling building and the shower facilities are what seem like a mile away and a little old and out-of-date - I still really like this YMCA. And it has the stuff that I needed and they were really nice about letting me in without many questions. The new part is a little bit cramped, and the old part is, well, really really old. It reminds me of the facility that I used when I was up in Chicago in Lakeview. Parking is tough when it's not weekend, and due to the long walks to the subterranean and iffy showers, I'll stick with a 4 even though I love this facility.

I love this gym!!! The weight room and machine rooms are always clean and organized. You can view…read morehow many people are currently checked in online, so it's super easy to plan a visit during non-busy times. The pool, sauna, and courts are currently undergoing renovation, but I am so stoked for those to open back up because of how much I enjoy the rest of the gym. Also... my favorite part is that they have several FREE parking lots around the gym, which is a huge win for a downtown spot!