Public Service Announcements

Participate in a chalk mural event for mental health
Category: 
Events
Expires: May 8, 2026
Sponsor: On Our Own Cville

Community members are invited to participate in a collaborative chalk mural event in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month this Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Free Speech Wall on the Charlottesville Downtown Mall. Participants of all ages and artistic abilities are encouraged to participate. Local mental health service providers will be tabling throughout the event, offering information about resources, services, and support available in the Charlottesville area. The event is free and open to the public. For more information or to inquire about tabling opportunities, call 434-327-7352 or email Nina@onourowncville.org.

Chalk Mural Event for Mental Health Awareness Month
Category: 
Events
Expires: May 8, 2026
Sponsor: On Our Own
Community members are invited to participate in a collaborative chalk mural event in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month on Friday, May 8, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, at the Free Speech Wall on the Charlottesville Downtown Mall. Local mental health service providers will also be tabling throughout the event, offering information about resources, services, and support available in the Charlottesville area. The event is free and open to the public. No artistic experience is required, and all materials will be provided. For more information or to inquire about tabling opportunities, please contact On Our Own at 434-327-7352.

Battle of the Bands call for participants
Category: 
Events
Expires: May 9, 2026
Sponsor: Music Resource Center

The Music Resource Center in Charlottesville invites middle and high school bands to apply for its Battle of the Bands. The competition takes place this Sunday from noon to four at The Southern Café and Music Hall on the downtown mall. Bands in grades six through twelve are eligible. Participants must perform original music. The winning band will be selected to open at Fridays After Five on July 17th at the Ting Pavilion. Space is limited, and advance registration is required by visiting Music Resource Center dot ORG.

Sign up for the Ben Hair Pickleball Classic
Category: 
Events
Expires: May 9, 2026
Sponsor: Fry's Spring Beach Club

The Ben Hair Pickleball Classic will be held  this Saturday and Sunday at Fry's Spring Beach Club. All proceeds benefit the Benjamin Hair Just Swim for Life Foundation, supporting its mission to provide water safety education and affordable swim instruction in our community. Visit "Ben Hair Foundation" on Instagram or "Swim Ben Hair" on Facebook for the registration link. You can also contact patriotswim4life@gmail.com with any questions.

Plan to attend a concert of string orchestra music
Category: 
Music
Expires: May 9, 2026
Sponsor: Blue Ridge Chamber Orchestra

The Blue Ridge Chamber Orchestra, under the baton of Mark Taylor, will offer a concert of string orchestra music at 3 p.m. this Saturday in Meade Hall, Christ Episcopal Church, in Charlottesville. Featured will be Dvorak's Serenade for Strings. Also on the program will be Chacony by Purcell, Elgar's Serenade for Strings in E minor, Waltz no. 2 by Shostakovich, and Pablo Casals' Song of the Birds, with John Meshreky as cello soloist. For more information about the concert and the orchestra, visit B R Chamber Orchestra dot Com

Fonville x Fribush with Charlie Hunter at Rivanna Roots
Category: 
Events
Expires: May 16, 2026
Sponsor: The Front Porch

Fonville x Fribush, featuring jazz guitarist Charlie Hunter, bring the heat to Rivanna Roots, Saturday, May 16th, at Rivanna River Company on 1520 E High Street, presented by The Front Porch, WarHen Records, and the Charlottesville Jazz Society. Fonville x Fribush is a collaboration between Hammond organ virtuoso Sam Fribush and Butcher Brown drummer Corey Fonville. Hunter, a longtime Fribush collaborator, rounds out the organ trio on this bill. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Learn more at front porch cville dot org forward slash concerts (frontporchcville.org/concerts)

Albemarle County Rotary Club hosts pickleball tournament
Category: 
Events
Expires: May 23, 2026
Sponsor: Albemarle County Rotary Club

The Albemarle County Rotary Club will host the Rotary Memorial Pickleball Classic, in memory of Dr. Frank E. Taylor, on Saturday, May 23rd, with a rain date of Saturday, May 30th. The event will take place at the Greencroft Club, located at 575 Rodes Drive, with registration starting at 8:30 am. and start of play at 9. This year's proceeds will benefit the Botanical Garden of the Piedmont's Every Kindergartner in the Garden Program and also will fund scholarships for students from area high schools and PVCC. For more information and to register in advance, visit A C R C dot Club forward slash Pickleball

Jefferson School Public Art Project
Category: 
Events
Expires: May 30, 2026
Sponsor: Jefferson School African American Heritage Center.

Three nationally-recognized design firms' proposals to transform the material and meaning of the former Robert E. Lee statue into a new expression of public memory can be seen at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center. The project, "Swords Into Plowshares: Recast, Reclaim”, is on view now through May 30th for visitors to explore the designs and help shape the future of this important community project. Visit sipcville DOT com or call the Center at (434)688-6854 for more details.

Taylors' Art Exhibit
Category: 
Arts & Books
Expires: May 31, 2026
Sponsor: The Gallery at Studio IX

The Gallery at Studio IX presents “Mt Saint Cabbage”, new works by nationally and internationally recognized artists Allison Mellberg Taylor and Jeremy Seth Taylor. The exhibit runs until May 31st, with an artists' talk on May 7th. Allison Taylor is a multi-media artist, gardener, and Art Professor at James Madison. Jeremy Taylor also works in various media, is a bio-intensive gardener, and is an Assistant Professor of Art at PVCC. Together, their works explore a fascination and fraught relationship with nature and question our effect on the earth as humans. The IX Art Gallery is open Monday through Friday 8 to 4, and Saturday and Sunday 8 to 2, at 969 2nd Street Southeast, Charlottesville. 

Bike Month Challenge
Category: 
Events
Expires: May 31, 2026
Sponsor: Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission

RideShare, a program of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, is thrilled to announce its Third Annual Bike Month Challenge this May in celebration of National Bike Month. This friendly community competition is all about swapping car trips for bike rides to boost health, happiness, and our local environment. Head over to the free ConnectingVA app to join the challenge as an individual or to form a team, log your trips and climb the leaderboard, and help top last year's effort, when 1 point 2 tons of greenhouse gases were prevented by the Bike Month Challenge.

McIntire Recycling Center Hours
Category: 
Public Affairs
Expires: October 31, 2026
Sponsor: The Rivanna Solid Waste Authority

The McIntire Recycling Center is now open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. every day except Tuesdays, when it is closed. Per The Rivanna Solid Waste Authority, the facility offers composting and multiple recycling options. It accepts 1 and 2 plastics in white and clear, glass, aluminum cans, tin cans, and various types of paper and cardboard. The extended hours will continue until the last weekend of October.

Blue Ridge Abortion Fund - Get Help
Category: 
Get Help
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: Blue Ridge Abortion Fund

Need help paying for an abortion? The Blue Ridge Abortion Fund may be able to help. Call their confidential voicemail at 434-963-0669. Leave a message and a trained staff member will get back to you within 48 hours. That's 434-963-0669. More information is online at Blue Ridge Abortion Fund dot org.

Grace Grocery
Category: 
Get Help
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: Crozet United Methodist Church

Grace Grocery, a ministry of Crozet United Methodist Church, provides free food to persons in need to help ensure people don’t go hungry in Albemarle County. Grace offers on-site shopping at the church on Monday afternoons from 3:30-6pm. The church is located at 1156 Crozet Avenue in Crozet. Distribution to home-bound clients can be arranged by appointment. In addition, Grace has grab and go bags with shelf stable items, bread, produce, frozen meat, and a treat available for pickup on Thursdays from 6-7pm. To learn more, or to donate or volunteer, email Heather at FoodPantry@CrozetUnitedMethodist.com or visit their website at Crozet United Methodist dot Com.

Learn more about or volunteer at Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary
Category: 
Give Help
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary

Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary, based in Nelson County, is dedicated to creating a vibrant and compassionate future for wildlife in Virginia and beyond. The devoted team of wildlife rehabilitators and volunteers rescue and care for more than 900 animals annually from across Virginia. The team also leads educational programming so folks from all walks of life can learn about the importance of our wild neighbors and native species. For more information, including ways to volunteer and a schedule of events with the center's animal ambassadors, visit Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary dot Org

Need for Foster Individuals and Families in Charlottesville Area
Category: 
Give Help
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: Community AttentionĀ FosterĀ Families

Community Attention Foster Families is a public foster care agency and division of the Human Services Department for the City of Charlottesville. They recruit, train, and provide ongoing support to foster parents for children in our community. Their greatest needs are for families who will foster sibling groups, teens, and LGBTQ individuals. They hold information sessions virtually each month and invite caring individuals and families to register to attend. They are also open to having individual conversations about the decision to pursue fostering. Learn more by visiting Charlottesville dot Gov slash Foster or by calling 434-970-3735.

Recycle your reusable bags
Category: 
Give Help
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: Sierra Club Piedmont Group

A five-cent plastic bag tax is in effect in the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. The Piedmont Group of the Sierra Club encourages you bring reusable bags with you when you shop rather than use plastic or paper bags for groceries and merchandise. If you have too many reusable bags gracing your home, you can donate clean, gently used ones to The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St Suite C, in Charlottesville. The Sierra Club will redistribute the bags to individuals who need them. E-mail your questions to aadann@gmail.com.

Blue Ridge Abortion Fund - Give Help
Category: 
Give Help
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: Blue Ridge Abortion Fund

Abortion is still legal in Virginia, and Blue Ridge Abortion Fund continues to fund abortions for Virginians and people traveling to Virginia for abortion care. You can volunteer your time and skills to help keep the organization running. Or raise funds by hosting a house party or benefit event. Learn more online at Blue Ridge Abortion Fund dot org.

Try out an e-bike for free
Category: 
Outdoors
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: Charlottesville E-bike Lending Library

Curious about e-bikes? Try borrowing one from the Charlottesville E-bike Lending Library, a free, non-profit service working to expand access to e-bikes in the area. It has a small collection of e-bikes to lend out to community members for up to a week, for free. Borrowers can experience a daily commute, go grocery shopping, bike kids to school, and decide whether an e-bike is the right choice. Donations and volunteers are welcome. For more information, or to sign up, visit E Bike Library dot Org

Mandate Democracy Initiative
Category: 
Public Affairs
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: Mandate Democracy Foundation

Mandate Democracy Foundation is a national charity that seeks to promote participatory direct democracy. The Mandate Democracy initiative transforms the connection between voters and control of their government. Find more about their goals and how to participate at Mandate Democracy dot ORG.


Sierra Club - Actions you can take in 2026
Category: 
Public Affairs
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: Piedmont Group of the Sierra Club

The Piedmont Group of the Sierra Club has some simple suggested actions that everyone can take in 2026 to support the environment, conserve energy, and help address climate change. First: Reduce, reuse, and recycle, especially plastic bags and other plastics. Second: Drive less; walk, cycle, and carpool more. Third: Conserve water usage, especially hot water. And fourth: Consider solar panels for your house or business. For more information on how you can make an impact, visit The Climate Collaborative dot Org

Virginia Organizing
Category: 
Public Affairs
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: Virginia Organizing

Virginia Organizing is a non-profit, non-partisan, statewide grassroots organization dedicated to challenging injustice in local communities by addressing issues that affect their quality of life. Virginia Organizing empowers people to create non-violent change for the betterment of their community by providing a voice that makes a difference. Find more information and get involved at virginia DASH organizing DOT org.

Bread Across Borders Food Pantry
Category: 
Get Help
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: Bread Across Borders

Bread Across Borders is an all-volunteer organization delivering fresh produce, bread and other staples to Charlottesville families, like the elderly and immigrants from around the world. Last year they delivered 20 tons of food in Charlottesville, preventing it from ending up in the landfill, where 40% of the food in the United States is wasted. Please come help sort food downtown on Sundays from 11:30 until 1 pm. E-mail BreadAcrossBorders AT gmail DOT com for details.

LouisaVA Assistance Hub
Category: 
Get Help
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: LouisaVA Assistance Hub

The Louisa V A Assistance Hub is a community platform offering a free, publicly accessible directory of over one thousand local and regional resources. Updated daily, this site includes food pantries, housing support, mental health services, crisis hotlines, and more — all for residents of Louisa County and the surrounding areas. Visit Louisa V A dot org for more information.

Ear acupunture for health
Category: 
Get Help
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: Charlottesville Health Department

Free ear acupuncture is available every Tuesday at 5:30pm at the Charlottesville Health Department, 1138 Rose Hill Drive, door #3. Ear acupuncture may help address your issues with sleep, digestion, pain, stress and mood. This service has been staffed by Central Virginia Community Acupuncture volunteers since 2008. Contact Cali Gaston at 434-960-8464 with any questions.

Piedmont Food assistance
Category: 
Give Help
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: The Piedmont Action Coalition on Hunger (PACH)

The Piedmont Action Coalition on Hunger, working with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, has launched Piedmont Feeds DOT org, a website connecting individuals and families with food pantries, prepared meals, free grocery programs, and other resources across Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock counties. The site features maps, operating hours, and guidance to the more than 19,000 individuals in the Piedmont experiencing food insecurity. There is enough nutritious food in our community to meet the need, if people know where to find it. Piedmont Feeds DOT org helps make that connection faster and easier.

Learn more about or volunteer at Visible Records
Category: 
Arts & Books
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: Visible Records
Visible Records is an artist-run gallery and studio space located in the Woolen Mills neighborhood of Charlottesville, VA. Visible Records seeks to provide central Virginians with compelling contemporary arts and a variety of local events and programs to build strong communities. The studio features rotating exhibitions open Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to 5pm. And beyond arts, their space is also home to Common Fields Community Gardens and Charlottesville's Little Free Fridge. To find out more about their programming or to get involved, visit Visible dash Records dot com.
Crozet Cares Closet
Category: 
Give Help
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: Crozet Cares Closet

Crozet Cares Closet supports its neighbors in need by distributing donated personal hygiene products such as soap, toothpaste, and deodorant, as well as household cleaning supplies like detergent and paper towels. The Closet is open on the first Saturday of each month from 9 to 11 am at Scott House Community Outreach, 7585 Rockfish Gap Turnpike, Greenwood. To donate securely and for drop-off locations, visit crozetcarescloset DOT org.

CASPCA Pet Food Drive
Category: 
Give Help
Expires: December 31, 2026
Sponsor: CASPCA

The Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA is working to support families with pets facing growing food insecurity. One survey revealed that 83% of pet parents would skip their own meals before letting their pets go hungry. The Pet Food Pantry is sustained by “in-kind” cat and dog food donations from community members, with tax-deductible monetary gifts used to buy pet food when supplies run low. They’re also seeking local businesses, distributors, and organizations to help create reliable pathways for consistent pet food supplies. Physical donations can be brought to the shelter at 3355 Berkmar Drive, seven days a week, or dropped off at Lampo2Go in IX Art Park. Visit caspca DOT org for more details.