Growing up, Jason Bard accompanied his non-English-speaking grandmother to free health clinics to interpret for her. She inspired him to study medicine. He also was shaped by his experiences with the deaf community — both of his parents are deaf — and as an LGBTQ+ advocate.

For the new director of the Glennan Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology at Eastern Virginia Medical School, being part of a supportive community is vital. Dr. Marissa Galicia-Castillo grew up in Norfolk and stayed in Hampton Roads to establish a distinguished career.

Born more than three decades ago out of the HIV crisis, LGBT Life Center found itself adapting this year to help people through another pandemic, COVID-19. I had the privilege of interviewing the folks who do such outstanding work for LGBT Life Center and writing a story for the fall/winter 2020 issue of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation’s Good Tidings newsletter.

Like many drivers, Jackie Shannon knows the frustration of being stuck in traffic at the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. Her precious cargo? Baby oysters. A new floating oyster restoration facility will streamline the process and lead to more oysters and cleaner rivers that flow to the Chesapeake Bay. The Hampton Roads Community Foundation gave Chesapeake Bay Foundation a grant for the project.

Thomas Stokes was a friendly, open guy with a warm smile. He lacked health insurance, was on disability and had been homeless for three years. He was grateful for the med students providing free healthcare to people in need through Street Health, part of EVMS’s Community Engaged Learning program.