NEWPORT NEWS-The non-profit organization Community Knights recently held an open house to celebrate its relocation to a new office near City Center at Oyster Point. The event was held April 22 at the organization’s new space within the Suntrust Building at 11817 Canon Blvd., Suite 402.
Jennifer Brown and Teresa Michener co-founded Community Knights, an organization that mainly focuses on assisting other non-profits in supporting disabled individuals within the community. Brown’s daughter, Brittany, was inspiration for the creation of Community Knights.
The open house event included networking and a playful game of bingo, a nod to one of the organization’s signature fundraisers, as well as presentations of grant checks through the organization’s GIFT Program. Community Knights also has a program called COACH, in which volunteers help other local non-profits that assist adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities.
The COACH program helps disabled adults with “building their skills and developing their passions,” said Cassandra Brown, COACH program manager, during the open house. “We also help build their social circles. That is our big thing. We help make their life interesting and full and provide safety nets by helping build those relationships for them.”
Youth Volunteer Corps of Hampton Roads was one of the recent recipients of a grant through the Community Knights GIFT program. The organization offers community service opportunities for youth ages 11-18. The grant was used in part to launch Youth Volunteer Corps new phone app.
“We couldn’t have done anything we have done without the support of Community Knights,” said Katie Morgan, executive director of Youth Volunteer Corps.
Brown and Michener operated Community Knights from their homes when it first began. Michener is looking forward to expanding its operations and collaborating with more non-profits in its larger space.
“It’s so awesome to be in this new space,” she said. “Our goal is to work together with non-profits and share our gifts with each other. This is going to make us stronger and better.”