YORKTOWN, Va. — For many people, the day after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday, is the start of the holiday shopping season.
On Black Friday in 2025, the United Way of the Virginia Peninsula and the York-Poquoson Commonwealth Attorney are asking you to shop with compassion.
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“So many folks are having a hard time right now, but there are some of us who have the ability to help. So as you're out, thinking about all of the things you're grateful for, all of the things that you want to give and share this holiday season, think about your neighbors," UWVP President and CEO, Charvalla West said when asked what shop with compassion means. Those that you might not know, those that you might not see, and maybe purchase something for the drive."
This is part of a new initiative called “A Way Home.” The UWVP and York-Poquoson Commonwealth Attorney Krystyn Reid are using donation boxes at the UWVP office in Yorktown to try to help people who don’t have a permanent place to live or who are dealing with domestic violence.
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"When I started with the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office in 2002, I was a designated domestic violence prosecutor. So I was dealing with people, probably, at the most vulnerable point in their lives and I saw this as a constructive way to help them outside of the courtroom to get them to a healthier and safer place," Reid explained.
If you can’t get out and buy something Friday, or you don’t want to because you don’t want to deal with the crowds, the initiative runs from December first to January first, 2026. So you can buy stuff any time in there and drop it off at the United Way of the Virginia Peninsula office.
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“We hope that you will donate new clothing items for adults and children, household items, comfort items," West said. "We’ll rely on our partners at Avalon, at Transitions to make sure that when they are re-housing families who have experienced domestic violence or helping families re-stabilize in communities that we can get those donations to them as quickly as possible.”
“This absolutely fills a big need in the community," said Reid. "A lot of negative connotation comes with the courtroom and to be able to support people when they need it the most is very beneficial to me."
The UWVP and the commonwealth attorney are hoping to get other local businesses involved in collecting items for this initiative. So if you are interested, call the UWVP at 757-229-2222.
