Annette Patterson, president and founder of The Advancement Foundation in Vinton, said the focus has been on community development since the non-profit was created in 2007. Patterson also runs the Charity Cottage thrift store at 301 S. Pollard Street in Vinton, where donated items are sold to raise money for the Foundation and several other non-profits that her organizations work with. She has a long history in development, raising money for colleges and private schools.
“We focus on people that are underserved and underprivileged – but it’s not about handouts, it’s about really lifting people, building assets in their lives,” said Patterson.
That might mean health and wellness, business assets and job skill levels. The Foundation’s Business Enterprise Program helps people develop strategic plans, such as helping someone with a business “they’ve been interested in for years.”
The focus is on small business and while many of the people she works with might not have a high level of education they have “good work ethics – and they just need a chance,” said Patterson. “We’re focused on helping those folks that have come up with some really good business ideas.” Then she’ll work to polish interpersonal and computer skills as well.
The Charity Cottage thrift store supports the Advancement Foundation, West End Center, Manna Ministries, Project Access and Katie’s Place. “It’s not a ton of money but it’s an income stream to help support those organizations.” Patterson said those non-profits are like-minded with the Advancement Foundation in that they work to develop the skills of low-income people, and “not just hand something to them. The store really is this wonderful forum we use to develop people skills.”
In fact, people that the Advancement Foundation works with must also volunteer at the Charity Cottage, “people that are homeless [or] living on the edge, actually volunteering their time, learning business skills but also giving back to the community,” said Patterson, whose husband Patrick is the principal and Head of School at Roanoke Catholic School. She called it a “holistic approach to community development.” They’re also learning about working with customers, inventory and other skills that might be useful in a work environment.
Charity Cottage held a dollar-a-bag clothing sale last weekend in an effort to get people into the thrift store while raising some money. One thing that should help foot traffic eventually: the new Roanoke County library branch in Vinton is going up right across the street on South Pollard Street. For now, however, traffic to the store has been slowed by the construction. “We’re trying to get people in and move inventory through the store,” said Patterson.
Once people come through the door then Patterson can also tell them all about the work done by the Advancement Foundation and the other organizations she works with. Patterson is also a master’s champion swimmer – ranked number one in Virginia for certain events – and she helped found an inner-city swim team, the “City Swim Barracudas,” several years ago.
On July 19 the Washington Park pool will be the site of a fundraising event for the swim team; Patterson is recruiting people well known in the community who can raise money and swim some laps. She had approached the city about forming a swim team there several years ago, in part to promote health and wellness in northwest Roanoke.
“We went door to door and recruited people,” said Patterson, who recruited more than 100 people, mainly children, to the summer team. “This year we’re over 170.” (see theadvancementfoundation.org for more information)
By Gene Marrano