HENRICO, Va., Feb. 5, 2024 — Since its grand opening last January, the Oak Avenue Complex has revitalized and reimagined part of the former Highland Springs High School building as a hub for community resources and outreach efforts for Henrico County Public Schools. Now, The Oak will continue to expand its community impact through a new partnership with the Henrico County Department of Social Services, which will deliver even more direct support and in-person assistance for HCPS students, families and community members on a weekly basis.
Thursday, Feb. 8, will serve the official launch of the collaboration at The Oak (15 S. Oak Ave., Highland Springs). Every Thursday, a representative from Social Services will be on site at The Oak from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. to provide information and connect families to benefits offered by the county.
This will be a safe, supportive setting for families to ask questions to Social Services and equip themselves with the knowledge and resources to be happy and healthy. A Spanish-speaking specialist will also be available on the fourth Thursday of every month to meet the needs of our diverse, multilingual community.
“The Henrico County Department of Social Services is excited to bring our benefit programs services into the community to provide more opportunity and access to our residents,” said Gretchen Brown, the director of Social Services. “We are thankful for this partnership with HCPS and the Oak Avenue Complex, and we hope to connect more directly with our community by reducing barriers for those who seek our resources.”
Social Services will also offer workshops that will cover topics such as child care, energy assistance and senior living, complementing the community-focused sessions already hosted by Family and Community Engagement and other HCPS departments. These prior workshops include Bridge Builders Academy, Mental Health Matters: Family and Caregiver Series and All-Together Tuesdays.
This partnership ensures a direct connection to critical services like financial assistance for vulnerable Henrico families. Creating a one-stop shop for support simplifies the process for pursuing these key services from Social Services, which is invaluable for helping students and families across Henrico achieve independence and stability.
“This partnership is going to bring us one step closer to The Oak’s vision of being a focal point for community connectivity, support and giving at HCPS,” said Kevin Robertson, the community school resource coordinator at The Oak. “I’m so excited for our students, families and community to take advantage of these opportunities.”
In The Oak’s first calendar year as Henrico’s full-service community school hub, it has hosted various partners in the Henrico community to offer career counseling, financial counseling, health and dental care, mental health services, physical activities and nutrition services, adult education and more. It has also served as a base for winter food distribution for families over the last two years via a partnership with the Henrico Community Food Bank.