PORTSMOUTH, Va (WAVY) — 10 On Your Side proudly donated a check for $10,000 Monday to LINK of Hampton Roads.

The organization, located in Newport News, helps at-risk, homeless and veterans in our community. LINK of Hampton Roads has over 77 apartments and two houses that serve homeless veterans for an average of 90-120 days while they find longer term homes. They help approximately 160 veterans per year with their services.

WAVY TV/FOX 43 General Manager, Carol Ward, presented a big check to LINK during the Hampton Roads Show.

WAVY/WVBT partnered with the organization for our Founder’s Day of Caring last month. We collected food and toiletries for the people they serve.

“For over three decades, LINK of Hampton Roads has existed to help people help themselves, through providing meals, shelter, education, direct services, advocacy, and more to veterans and others in need,” said Ward. “We are proud to partner with LINK for this year’s Founder’s Day of Caring and we are grateful the Nexstar Media Foundation approved my donation request for LINK of Hampton Roads, to assist with their vision ‘to break the cycle of poverty.”

At the time, the organization was in need of $10,000 to repair a walk-in freezer so they could store more meat. LINK served 739 people last year and is anticipating more than a thousand this year due to food insecurity and rising housing costs.

LINK Executive Director Lynne Finding cried when she found out about the donation. “Very tearful, very emotional; it was a match to what we had already received as a $10,000 gift from one of the local churches for repairing our freezer,” she said.

Since WAVY Partnered with LINK, they also secured a new house. They were set to close on the property the same day they received the check from WAVY. The new place will house medically challenged veterans.

“So many wonderful things going on and I’m just excited for the agency and to get the word out,” said Finding.

She said they always need volunteers and will especially need them in November when their winter shelter opens.

If you, your office or organization is interested in volunteering or donating, click here to learn more.

Last year, WAVY received a $10,000 grant from the Nexstar Charitable Foundation, which was donated to the Ida Barbour Early Learning Center in Portsmouth.