Significant storm damage to Girls Inc. of Wayne County’s building at 1407 S. Eighth St., Richmond, forced the nonprofit to halt operations until further notice. Strong winds removed the gym’s roof and several AC units on the morning of Wednesday, March 11, canceling a planned International Women’s Day event.
“Our first and most important priority is always the safety of the girls, staff and families we serve,” said Tai Muldoon, CEO of Girls Inc. of Wayne County, in a news release. “We are incredibly thankful that no one was hurt. We are working to quickly assess the situation and explore alternative options so we can continue supporting the girls who rely on our programs.”
Social media commenters offered help and support. “So glad that no one was hurt! The community is ready to help however needed,” said Lynnette Davis.
In a series of social media posts, Girls Inc. said as they explore alternative locations, the program will need prepackaged snacks along with art and cleaning supplies, including cleaning wipes, trash bags, paper towels, toilet paper, construction paper, colored pencils, crayons and glue markers. All goods should be dropped off at the following locations during regular business hours:
- all Phillips Drug locations
- Richmond Family YMCA
- Richmond City Building Police Department Lobby
- Wayne County Jail Lobby
For further updates, visit facebook.com/girlsincwayne.
A version of this article will appear in the March 18 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.