Colley Community Center, Inc.

Help the CCC Relocate

The CCC will be losing their building July 31st. Please help us kickoff our campaign to find a new location. Every bit helps.

In 2024, the doors of the Colley Community Center (CCC) opened for the first time with one simple hope: that strangers could become neighbors, neighbors could become friends, and our community could be stronger together. Since then, something beautiful has happened inside of those walls.

A shy child walked in and proudly left carrying home the bracelet they made with their own hands. A teenager who was unsure about their future sat with local college students and began to believe higher education was possible for them too. A senior citizen who had been spending far too many days alone found laughter and connection again. Parents learning about new tools to help support their families. Neighbors who had never met before shared tables, stories, and encouragement.

This is what the CCC has become. A place where people feel seen, valued, and connected.

The Colley Community Center encourages lifelong learning and fosters meaningful connections among residents of all ages in Hampton Roads. With the support of facilitators and volunteers, we host workshops and events designed to cultivate knowledge, creativity, and personal growth. Whether focused on building practical skills or exploring artistic abilities, our programming is rooted in the needs and interest of the community we serve. 

What makes us unique is both what we offer and how we offer it.    

1. We offer multi-generational programs.

2. We reduce social isolation

3. We empower both learners & leaders from within our community.

Our approach to community development is deeply community- driven. Workshops are led by individuals who live and work right here in Hampton Roads, creating a space that highlights the leaders and creatives who make our community so vibrant. Over the past 2 years, we've welcomed facilitators ranging from ODU and NSU students to practicing lawyers, local business owners, artisans, physicians, Red Cross volunteers, medical students, licensed therapists, and representatives from numerous nonprofit organizations. In this way, we don't just empower participants, but we also uplift emerging and experienced leaders across our region.

At a time when loneliness has been identified by he Surgeon General as a growing public health concern & meaningful connection feels harder to find, CCC has quietly become a lifeline for so many in Hampton Roads. It has become a place where generations come together, where creativity is sparked, confidence is built, community is not just talked about, but is actually practiced.

Since opening in May 2024, we have we welcomed over 600 participants ranging in age from 2 to 78. We have hosted workshops on art, wellness, financial literacy, parenting, gardening, self- defense, job readiness, and so much more. Over 100 facilitators have generously shared their time and talents, and more than 50 volunteers have helped bring each event to life. We have also been honored to receive 6 grants in support of our work. 

But today, we are facing a heartbreaking reality.

We are losing our building and must relocate.

The very place where children learned, seniors laughed , teens grew, and neighbors connected will soon be gone. Without urgent support, the momentum we have built, and the safe, welcoming space our community now depends on could be interrupted at the moment it is needed most.

We are asking for you help because this is bigger than a building.

This is about protecting a space where people have found belonging and where community continues to be built every day.

This year's donations will directly support our ability to secure and rent a new building, ensuring that the Colley Community Center has a stable home to continue serving the community. In addition, donations will allow us to expand our current programs & broaden our impact as we prepare to offer additional community-focused programs. 

One of those initiatives is our Beyond the Bell afterschool program for Norfolk youth that we aim to launch in 2027. Following a "soft launch" in November 2025, and we were blown away by the positive feedback we received from our high school participants.

With you support, we can continue to grow this work, deepen our impact, and ensure that the CCC remains a place where connection , learning, and community thrive. 

From all of us at the CCC, we're grateful for your interest in our work, and we value any support you can offer us as we seek to provide programs that enrich the lives of our Norfolk neighbors.

*Office of the Surgeon General (OSG). (2023). Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community. US Department of Health and Human Services.