VCU Health isn’t just a health system. We are part of the community and are dedicated to serving it too. 

Over the past two years, VCU Health has deepened its role as both a leader in clinical care and a trusted partner in community well‑being. Our work extends far beyond the bedside, reaching into neighborhoods, schools, rural areas and homes throughout Virginia to address the social and environmental factors that shape your health long before you go to a clinic or hospital. 

Those far-reaching efforts to improve the health of Virginians beyond the traditional walls of a doctor’s office or hospital are laid out in our community impact report, called Stronger Together. 

“As Virginia’s largest safety net health system, VCU Health centers community in everything we do,” said Marlon Levy, M.D., MBA, senior vice president of VCU Health Sciences and CEO of VCU Health. “For us, community impact means investing in people and partnerships, understanding and addressing community needs and fostering a healthier community now and in the future. We are proud to bring this to life in many ways, outlined in this report.” 

Recognizing that health is shaped by factors such as housing, food security, transportation and access to resources, VCU Health has expanded its focus on identifying and addressing patients’ social and economic needs.  

Listening to needs outside of direct patient care 

At VCU Health, our mission is to ensure every person who comes to one of our locations has access to safe, quality care that helps them heal and thrive. Through more than 100,000 screenings in 2024-2025, VCU Health team members identified that our patients are facing barriers like food insecurity, housing instability, transportation challenges and utility concerns. 

Melissa Earley (right) was introduced to the Food is Medicine program while receiving care at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer. The initiative addresses nutritional needs of patients, ensuring they don’t have to choose between bills and groceries. (Daniel Sangjib Min, MCV Foundation)

To address these health-related social needs, we connected patients, caregivers and their families to real solutions. One way we do this is by collaborating closely with community partners to meet patients where they are and by investing in resources that matter most to patients. 

“Health is about so much more than what happens in a hospital or doctor’s office. It’s influenced by where people live, work, and play,” said Sheryl Garland, chief of health impact for VCU Health. “That is why we are unconditionally committed to supporting our neighbors facing social and economic challenges, by connecting them with the resources they need so that every person has a fair opportunity to live the healthiest life possible.” 

VCU Health’s support reaches into the community 

Since 2019, VCU Health has invested a total of $2.8 million in community organizations that are addressing identified needs, strengthening local capacity to deliver food, housing, legal aid and primary care. 

Savings from our safety-net hospitals’ participation in the federal 340B Drug Pricing program supports care for uninsured and underinsured patients through financial assistance, discounted care, transportation support and many of our community health programs. 

VCU Health team members also hear directly from patients and their families about the kind of resources they need to live healthier lives. Those conversations have led to the creation of hospital-based programs and initiatives, some of which are now serving as best practice models in health care, such as:  

• The Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP): The team of pro bono attorneys has become a powerful tool for stability, resolving hundreds of cases involving unsafe housing, benefits access and family safety. 
  
  
• VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital's community garden: In partnership with Virginia Cooperative Extension, the health system’s first community garden provides fresh produce to families in the rural community, where food insecurity is a growing problem.
   
• The Family Resource Center at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU: A lifeline for thousands of families, offering support ranging from nutrition assistance to help navigating complex social services.
  
  
• First clinical trial at VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital: VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center is now offering patients at our hospital in Tappahannock the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial, expanding local access to advanced cancer care and research for people living in the Northern Neck. expanding local access to advanced cancer care and research for people living in the Northern Neck.
   
• Pathways to Healthcare Workforce: By partnering with community colleges, schools and workforce agencies, the Pathways program offers training and mentorship to underserved populations to grow a pipeline of health care workers. 

From preventive health initiatives to expanding telehealth to regional schools, these partnerships allow VCU Health to extend its reach beyond our hospitals and into neighborhoods where access to care and health education may be limited.  

Taken together, our work paints a clear picture: VCU Health team members are   advocates and collaborators committed to the long-term health and well‑being of every Virginian. Our health system’s impact is measured not only in clinical and research outcomes, but in safer homes, fuller pantries, stronger families and healthier futures across the commonwealth and beyond. 

Read the full community impact report: Stronger Together

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