CHRISTIANSBURG – The Community Health Center of the New River Valley (CHCNRV) has announced community leader and early childhood education advocate Kristi Snyder will serve as Chair of its “A New Home for Health, Healing and Hope” Capital Campaign, a $4.5 million effort to support construction of a new, state-of-the-art healthcare facility in Christiansburg.
As Campaign Chair, Snyder will help lead community outreach and philanthropic support for a project designed to expand access to integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health services across the New River Valley. The 36,000-square-foot facility on Akers Farm Road will replace CHCNRV’s current adapted 1940s-era motor lodge and enable the organization to serve more patients, reduce waiting lists, and meet growing regional demand for affordable, high-quality healthcare.
“With Kristi Snyder as campaign chair, we have a leader whose credibility, compassion, and deep roots in this community make her uniquely qualified to help guide this effort,” said Michelle Brauns, CEO of the Community Health Center of the New River Valley. “Her leadership will be invaluable as we invite the public to invest in a healthier future for the New River Valley.”
Snyder has devoted more than 37 years to serving children and families through Rainbow Riders Childcare Center in Blacksburg, where she began as a part-time teacher while in high school and later returned after earning her bachelor’s degree in Family and Child Development from Virginia Tech. As owner and administrator, she has helped grow Rainbow Riders into a highly respected early childhood education organization serving more than 400 children across three locations, supported by more than 100 teachers and staff.
“We must ensure that every family has access to quality, affordable healthcare in the New River Valley,” Snyder said. “That is why I support the Community Health Center and its goal to reach more families.”
“A healthy community needs a caring community,” Snyder added. “My family is supporting the Community Health Center to build its new facility because it will allow more families to have access to comprehensive healthcare in our community.”
Snyder said she believes the campaign reflects the region’s values.
“Investing in the Community Health Center helps ensure access to quality and affordable healthcare for all members of the New River Valley,” she said. “A caring community is what makes the New River Valley the place our family calls home.”
The Capital Campaign is raising private support for a new facility that will expand CHCNRV’s ability to deliver integrated care and accommodate continued growth. The organization currently provides more than 32,000 patient visits annually and has experienced significant increases in demand in recent years. The new facility will support additional providers, expanded services, and a patient-centered environment designed to serve future generations.
Snyder said the campaign offers the community an opportunity to make a meaningful, lasting investment.
“This is about making sure every member of our community has the opportunity to access care with dignity,” Snyder said. “When we invest in health, we invest in the strength and future of the New River Valley.”
Community members interested in learning more about the Capital Campaign or supporting the effort are encouraged to visit chcnrv.org.
CHCNRV
