Empowering Families. Uplifting Communities. Transforming Richmond’s East End.
🌱 Where Compassion Meets Action
31st Cares was founded with a simple but powerful belief:
Every child, every family, and every community deserves the opportunity to thrive.
Rooted in the legacy and outreach mission of 31st Street Baptist Church, our organization was established to address the growing needs of Richmond’s East End — one of the city’s most historically underserved communities.
Since our founding, we’ve committed ourselves to creating equitable access to education, food resources, mentorship, wellness opportunities, and long-term community development. We believe in meeting people where they are, supporting them with dignity, and empowering them with the tools they need to succeed.
💛 What Drives Us
31st Cares exists to transform the lives of children and families by providing resources, programming, and support systems designed to promote stability, empowerment, and long-term success.
Our work focuses on:
📘 Youth development & mentorship
🧑🏾💼 Character-building programs for young men
🍎 Expanding access to food & wellness resources
💼 Workforce & entrepreneurship development
🏠 Future affordable housing & community life center development
💖 Building partnerships that strengthen the East End
🌟 A Thriving East End for All
Our vision is a vibrant Richmond East End where families have access to the resources and opportunities they need to live healthy, stable, and fulfilling lives.
We envision:
This vision is reflected in our long-term project:
The development of a multi-purpose Community Life Center — a hub for fitness, mentorship, education, housing, and community engagement.
Every individual is treated with dignity and compassion.
We develop creative solutions to close opportunity gaps.
We honor the trust of our donors, partners, and families.
We measure outcomes to ensure real, sustainable change.
We invest in programs that uplift today while building for tomorrow.
📊 Changing Lives — One Program at a Time
With your support, we are expanding access to essential resources and strengthening the community through:
Together, we are creating brighter futures for generations to come.
31st Cares is supported by a dedicated team of leaders, educators, and community advocates committed to serving Richmond’s East End with excellence and integrity.
31st Cares is the outreach arm of 31st Street Baptist Church, expanding the church’s commitment to service beyond its walls and into the heart of the communities that need it most.
This partnership allows us to combine:
Together, we’re building a legacy of hope and opportunity.
Rev. Dr. Peyton McCoy is a native of Portsmouth, Virginia, and now calls Richmond, Virginia, home. She continues to marvel at the city’s remarkable growth since her arrival. Richmond’s abundance of scenic trails and running paths has proven especially meaningful because, much to her surprise, Peyton became an avid runner many years ago. What began as exercise evolved into a cherished ritual. Her early morning runs are now a meditative, prayerful, and peaceful segment of each day.
Dr. McCoy serves as Executive Director of 31st Cares, Inc., where she is committed to advancing sustainable solutions for under-resourced residents of Richmond’s East End. Her work focuses on promoting self-sufficiency, expanding access to opportunity, and fostering holistic well-being for individuals, families, and communities.Her professional journey reflects a broad and diverse background spanning broadcast communications, corporate public relations, counseling, community development, nonprofit leadership, and church transitions. Her academic preparation includes advanced study in counseling, leadership, education, ministry, and organizational culture. Passionate about individual and collective transformation, innovative leadership, and cultural engagement, Dr. McCoy authored Walk into Your Season: The Art of Cultural Work, a work inspired by her doctoral research.
An author, speaker, workshop facilitator, and conference presenter, Dr. McCoy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications and Public Relations, a Master of Science degree in Counseling Psychology, a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership, and a Ph.D. in Leadership, Culture, and Policy. She is also a graduate of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University. In 2026, she earned a Doctor of Ministry degree in Ministry Leadership from the Rawlings School of Divinity at Liberty University.
Dr. McCoy is a licensed and ordained minister who serves as a Ministerial Associate at the historic Thirty-first Street Baptist Church. She also serves on the National Board of Directors of Circles USA and is a proud member of the Pearls of Wisdom Book Club and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Peyton believes that life revolves around four essential elements: faith, hope, and the transforming power of those compelling twins, grace and mercy. She often says that faith will get you to first base, hope will carry you to second, and love will propel you onto third. But grace will see you safely home.
Footnote: Dr. McCoy is reportedly approaching a world record for the greatest number of Girl Scout Cookies ever consumed in a single sitting—Caramel Delights preferred. Let us pray.
Rev. Dr. Joshua L. Mitchell is the seventh Senior Pastor of the historic 31st Street Baptist Church in Richmond, VA. A native of Baltimore, MD, and graduate of Howard University and the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University, Dr. Mitchell has a passion for writing and his doctoral research became the foundation for his award-wining Judson Press release Black Millennials and the Church: Meet Me Where I Am. In 2025, he released his newest work, Bread For Life: Pursuing God and Chasing Answers To Life’s Tough Questions. Dr. Mitchell is a frequent lecturer, coach, and consultant on effective ministry to youth and young adults and is the founder of the Connecting The Call Academy- an educational platform to mentor, train, and developing young clergy. Additionally, through his Passion to Publication initiative, Dr. Mitchell helps pastors and Christian influencers to transform the messages they are passionate about into publications that impact the world while creating additional streams of income.
As a licensed and ordained minister, Dr. Mitchell has dedicated his life to serving in the ministry and currently serves as the Senior Pastor of the 31st Street Baptist Church in Richmond, VA. Rev. Mitchell currently serves as an adjunct faculty member and doctoral cohort leader at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University. Committed to social justice and community uplift, Dr. Mitchell serves on the board of the Virginia Interfaith Center of Public Policy and Rev. Mitchell is a proud member of several organizations including the NAACP, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., and Alpha Nu Omega Fraternity Inc. Rev. Mitchell considers himself blessed to be married to Dr. Lori K. Mitchell and they are the proud parents of two handsome sons, Jordan and Jayden.
Linwood Heath is the Director and Treasurer of this nonprofit, 31st Cares Inc. and has a vast array of knowledge and experience in management and finance. In May of 2024, he sold his Allstate Insurance Agency which he started from scratch and had been in business for over twenty-five years. Success was the result of execution of marketing plans, staff development, retention of current clients and consistent attraction of new business.
Prior to stepping out on faith and starting the business, Linwood spent over twenty-five years in Retail Store Management with J C Penney Corporation. He started as a Management Trainee and held several other positions including Merchandiser, Senior Merchandiser, Personnel Manager, Operations/Personnel Manager and Assistant Store Manager.
Linwood also has over 40 years’ experience as a church officer including Treasurer, Trustee, Trustee Chair and Trustee Emeritus.
Finally, he has been happily married for over 52 years with two children and three grandchildren.
Debbie Williams is a dedicated community advocate and mental health worker with a heart for service. With over 15 years in the Human Services and mental health skill-building, Debbie’s journey with 31st Cares began with a simple belief: that every community deserves the tools and resources to thrive.
Debbie’s career has spanned roles in leadership and program management, person-centered coaching, and personal development at organizations like Community Counseling Group, LLC, Circles RVA and Circles Ashland, Va. Her ability to advocate for marginalized individuals in under resourced communities through working directly with mental health agencies has helped transform families.
Debbie’s passion for 31st Cares stems from her own experiences growing up around individuals and families in underserved communities. She knows firsthand the impact that dedicated nonprofits can have, and she’s committed to ensuring that 31st Cares reaches communities and families in need.
When she’s not advocating for 31st Cares you can find Debbie volunteering at a local community outreach event, walking in her favorite park, or spending time with her family and friends.
Rondall “RJ” James is a native of Hampton, VA, where he first developed his interest in art within the Hampton Public Schools system. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Art Education from Virginia State University and a Master of Interdisciplinary Studies, with a concentration in Printmaking and Painting, from Virginia Commonwealth University.
RJ retired in 2016 following a 36-year career teaching art at the high school level. Post-retirement, he served as an Adjunct Professor in the School of Education at Mary Washington University, where he taught and supervised student teachers in art.
A member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. for over 50 years, RJ is a past National President and has received numerous awards for his leadership and community service. During his time in Richmond, he also served on the Board of the Friends of African and African American Art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
His artwork has been featured in solo exhibitions at the Fredericksburg Area Museum, the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, and Virginia State University. He has lectured at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC, the Black History Museum in Richmond, and the Fredericksburg Area Museum. Additionally, one of his pieces is held in the permanent collection at Elizabeth City State University.
He is married to Gwendolyn A. James. They have two sons and seven grandchildren and currently reside in Williamsburg, Virginia.
