Thrive Virginia Self-Advocacy Toolkit

Lead with your voice. Thrive with your community.


Advocacy begins with speaking up: for yourself, your family, and your neighbors.


Thrive Virginia’s Self-Advocacy Toolkit was created to help you do just that. Inside, you’ll find step-by-step guidance, examples, and local resources to help you connect with leaders, share your story, and influence the issues that matter most to you.


Whether you’re writing to a representative, preparing a one-pager, or attending a community meeting, this toolkit provides practical tools to make your message clear, respectful, and effective.


💬 Use it to:


  • Learn how to frame your story and your “ask.”
  • Find contact links for local and state decision-makers.
  • Discover ways to stay engaged and follow up after meetings.


Your experience and your voice matter. Together, we can build stronger, more responsive communities - one conversation at a time.

View and Download the
Self-Advocacy Toolkit (PDF) here!

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Thrive Virginia Community Needs Assessment 2026

Community Survey 2026


Your voice matters. By completing this survey, you will help Thrive Virginia better understand and address the needs of individuals and families in our communities. You will be asked questions about education, employment, housing, healthcare, and other basic needs. This anonymous survey takes around 10 minutes to complete. To thank community members for their time, eligible respondents may choose to enter a thank-you drawing. Details and the optional entry form will appear after you submit your answers.


Aquí puede encontrar una versión en español de esta encuesta.