BefriendExploring and celebrating the place we all love to call home.
VOL. 293 / Befriend
Meet this week’s guest editor, Mollie Reinhart, who’s here to remind us to look for ways to connect with people whose lives may be different from our own. Mollie is the founder of Befriend, a Richmond-based nonprofit that works locally and around the world to foster friendships that empower people and communities to thrive. At the heart of her work is a belief in curiosity, connection, and compassion as a way of life.
Mollie received her Ed.M. from Harvard University in Human Development and Psychology and previously worked in hospice care for more than ten years in Charleston, South Carolina and Boston, Massachusetts. After moving to Richmond, she took time away from full-time work to raise her three children and became an active volunteer across the community, supporting organizations that help make this city the place we love to call home. As her children began entering college, Mollie found herself searching for what she calls her “what’s next,” guided by the thought, “I want to help my city, but I don’t know how.” As she pushed herself to explore her community more deeply and intentionally meet new people, Befriend emerged organically in December of 2017. As the movement grew, Mollie continued to expand her education and later received a certificate in Applied Compassion from Stanford University.
Today, Befriend creates opportunities for people to connect across difference through walk and talk gatherings, service projects, connection circles, and simple acts of compassion. Mollie believes that when we make space for relationships with others, especially those whose experiences differ from our own, we begin to see how much we actually share. From that common ground, friendships take root and compassion grows.
This week, she’s sharing her thoughts with Here Weekly readers on building connection, fostering understanding, and finding small but meaningful ways to bring us closer together in the year ahead.
Take it away, Mollie.
Jefferson Park
When I think about special places in Richmond, Jefferson Park immediately comes to mind. I lived in the city for over 20 years before discovering this magical spot in the Union Hill/Church Hill area. Once I did, it stayed with me. With its iconic overlook of Richmond, the park feels both expansive and intimate, a place where perspective widens and connection feels possible.
At the heart of Jefferson Park is a fountain honoring a longtime friend of the park, Alicia Rasin, known as the “Ambassador of Compassion.” Learning this, I thought, this feels like Befriend’s home. With tree-lined paths, playgrounds, and picnic spots, Jefferson Park naturally brings people together from all different backgrounds. Our Befriend gathers, walks, and clean-ups here turn simple moments into meaningful connection, reminding us that healing ourselves and our community begins when we show up with a curious mind and open heart.
The Richmond Clean City Commission (CCC) is City Council’s all-volunteer advisory group dedicated to creating a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient Richmond. The Commission provides recommendations on policies and programs that reduce litter, encourage proper disposal and recycling, and improve the local environment. Working closely with the Department of Public Works, CCC supports recycling and disposal events, neighborhood cleanups, and community education initiatives, while also serving as Richmond’s affiliate of Keep Virginia Beautiful.
Equity is central to CCC’s mission, ensuring cleanup and prevention efforts support communities most impacted by litter and illegal dumping. A cleaner city builds pride, protects wildlife, and strengthens neighborhoods. This is compassion in action, making our city a better place for all.
Befriend has joined their Adopt-A-Spot program, where organizations that complete cleanups receive a custom sign installed at their site. Seeing Befriend’s name at Jefferson Park will truly make it feel like home. Join Befriend for our next Jefferson Park cleanup on Saturday, January 10, 2026. This will be number seven on the road to number ten.
Real Life was built on a simple but powerful belief: people change when they are met with dignity, consistency, and community. What began inside the Richmond City Justice Center has grown into a statewide movement walking alongside individuals returning from incarceration, navigating recovery, or living in communities most impacted by violence and instability. Through recovery housing, intensive life coaching, and neighborhood-based violence intervention, Real Life doesn’t just serve people, they walk with them toward a brighter future.
That spirit of walking together is why collaborations matter. Alongside partners like Befriend, Real Life shows up in small yet meaningful ways, by joining a Befriend Gather at the VMFA or a clean-up at Jefferson Park. When people from different backgrounds come together for a shared experience and hear each other’s stories, connections spark that empower people and communities to thrive.
"When people show up with a curious mind and open heart, magical connections happen and lasting change begins," says Mollie Reinhart, founder of Befriend. In 2026, Befriend plans to continue to inspire a lifestyle of curiosity, connection, and compassion for all. Here Weekly readers are invited to join experiences offered by Befriend that create opportunities to connect with others different from themselves, foster understanding, and build friendships that empower people and communities to thrive. Everyone belongs.
