Remarkable Women: Anya Stevenson turns pain into purpose, serving the community through the VOWS Foundation

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Throughout the month of March, 8News is honoring the Remarkable Women who have been making an impact in our community. Today we're highlighting Anya Stevenson, a woman who found healing through helping others.

Stevenson is the founder of the VOWS Foundation, a nonprofit that empowers under-resourced communities by distributing aid, providing educational resources and mentorship.

VOWS stands for valiant, optimistic, willing souls. This acronym is more than just the foundation's name, it also represents its core values.

"We basically are an organization that wants to teach people to push through life,” Stevenson said.

Through VOWS, Stevenson and a team of volunteers dedicate their time to making sure the needs of others are met. One of the ways they accomplish this is with a program called Community Day.

Once a month, the foundation sets aside a Saturday to address several community needs. Volunteers can be seen cleaning the streets of Richmond's Carytown, creating care packages with essential items and organizing a giveaway for families in need. The giveaway features brand-new items donated by Amazon, such as household goods, clothing and electronics.

“We just implemented our Amazon giveaway for households that do have a roof over their head but may need some help with bringing items in," Stevenson said. "We just combined it all into one day to do as much as we can for the community."

According to VOWS' website, this day of action is also an opportunity to create a sense of connection, unity and mental well-being among both volunteers and the community.

“If you want to go far, you got to do it with someone else or with a group or have like minds. You can do things alone, but you're mainly going nowhere fast," Stevenson said.

Stevenson said giving back is deeply rooted in her upbringing, and has shaped her long before starting her own foundation.

"I've been volunteering all my life," Stevenson said. "I've always been serving my community. I've always been out cleaning up the streets.... packing plates to feed the homeless."

Although that mission had been instilled in her for years, it became more personal after Stevenson experienced the sudden death of her late husband, Army Sgt. Omontre' Stevenson, who lost his life to suicide back in 2020.

“I changed. Obviously, I wasn't expecting the passing, so I wasn't expecting to change so drastically, so quickly," Stevenson said. "It felt like the end. It felt like a black hole. It felt like something I couldn't get out of.”

Stevenson said after her husband's passing, she struggled with depression and learned to process her pain through grief therapy. She then became determined to create a space that encouraged optimism in the face of adversity.

Stevenson is also passionate about education, which is why VOWS offers a free year-round tutoring program. She named it PrepWorks, because she believes that preparation leads to success. Stevenson said she hopes to expand that program into a private school.