John Morrell

Originally from Portsmouth, John, his partner Ebony and their two children have been residents of the Market Heights Apartments in Norfolk, VA since March of 2024. The apartments have become a safe haven and place of community for 164 income-constrained households like John’s, many of whom rely on Medicaid and food stamps to get by.

“Everybody in this building is very likable and pretty much like a close-knit family.”

For many families, Market Heights is more than just a place to call home – it’s a place that helps households move forward.

Pictured on the far right

“This place is very different from other places we’ve lived. They give you food and other things, too.”

In 2024, Volunteers of America launched the Market Heights Neighborhood Program in partnership with the Lawson Family Fund under the Hampton Roads Community Foundation to expand access to vital social services and support residents and the surrounding community need to be healthy and thrive. Through this program, partner organizations like the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia & the Eastern Shore, Bank of America, the Fatherhood Initiative and others provide onsite and community-based support.

Did you know that among Market Heights residents over 54% have high blood pressure and 26% suffer from diabetes? As the saying goes “food is health”. But as food prices continue to rise, struggling households like John’s are finding it harder and harder to buy fresh fruit, vegetables, and more for a well-balanced diet that protects against chronic illness. The Neighborhood Program is here to help fix that. In addition to financial literacy training, telehealth services and other supports, residents can access a mobile food pantry every month at the apartments.

“The food pantry helps tremendously. I have a third grader and first grader. With food stamps, I can buy lunches for the kids for two weeks, and dinner maybe for a week. And that’s the ballgame there. So, getting the food from the food pantry – it does help. And you know, it helps me get things that I might not have had a chance to get from the grocery store. I do get more apples, oranges, green pepper, red pepper.”

The Neighborhood Program has been a blessing to John’s family in more ways than one. It has also made it easier for him to take care of his childrens’ pet guinea pigs.

“When I say the food pantry helps the whole family, I mean the whole family – even our guinea pigs. One’s name is supposed to be Jelly Bean. But we call her Fat Mama. And the other one is Shabby because she’s gray and white. But we call her Little Mama. They get apples and whatever my daughter and son don’t want to eat.”