News & Events

Treehouse Tales at Pen Park on October 28, 2026

Bennett’s Village has partnered with UVA and the City of Charlottesville for Treehouse Tales, an inclusive storybook reading event! Join students from the Instructional and Assistive Technology Applications course at the UVA School of Education and Human Development...

Grooving at the Treehouse at Pen Park on September 30, 2026

Time to boogie! Bennett’s Village has partnered with the Charlottesville Ballet and the City of Charlottesville to host an hour of dancing and fun for our adult neighbors. No dance experience required! Explore elements of dance to improve quality of life through...

May Movement Meetup at Pen Park, May 9, 2026

Please join us on Saturday, May 9, from 10am to 12pm at the treehouse for our May Movement Meetup. We’ll have a variety of movement activities that people of all ages and abilities can enjoy, including hula hoop fun, a play parachute, yoga, and a playspace scavenger...

Our New Director of Development – April Garrison Straus

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – February 2, 2026 – Bennett’s Village, a non-profit dedicated to building a multigenerational, all-abilities playspace at Pen Park in Charlottesville, is excited to announce that we have hired April Garrison Straus as our first Director of...

Call to Action – State Funding!

We need your help! Senator Creigh Deeds and Delegate Katrina Callsen have sponsored budget amendments in the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates to provide funding for Bennett’s Village. In order to ensure this funding is approved, members of the Health and Human...

NEW DATE Snowflakes and Stories at the Treehouse, February 22, 2026

Mark your calendar: On Sunday, February 22, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, we’ll be making snowflake crafts and settling in for winter-themed stories at the treehouse. Bring your snuggliest blanket or a favorite stuffed animal to cuddle up with! This event will only occur...

Have You Heard About Bennett’s Village – Charlottesville Inside-Out

Check out this amazing video by Virginia Public Media featuring Bennett’s Village. Share the video with your friends and networks to spread the message of inclusion.

Donate your Shoes4Good at Ragged Mountain

Don’t forget to donate your lightly-used sneakers to Ragged Mountain Running & Walking Shop this January. When you drop off your running shoes, you will not only be providing someone with a new-to-them pair of shoes, you will also be raising money for Bennett’s...

Pictures with Santa at the Treehouse

Santa Claus is coming to town—or rather, to the Treehouse at Bennett’s Village. Come take a picture with Santa on Saturday, December 13th from 1-4 p.m. (rain date Sunday, December 14). We know that getting face time with Kris Kringle can be hectic, so we are excited...

Do good at the grocery store

Kroger shoppers can now sign up to support Bennett’s Village through the Kroger Community Rewards program. This program allows shoppers to raise funds for local nonprofits at no extra cost. The more you shop at Kroger, the more donations Bennett’s Village will earn,...

Champions of the Community Remarks

On September 11, 2025, Kara McClurken was invited to speak at the CavFutures Foundation's Champions of the Community event, honoring their grant recipients. Good evening, and thank you for inviting me to say a few words about the impact of the Champions of the...

Treehouse Tales October 22, 2025

October 22, 2025 3:30 pm: sensory-friendly storytime (RSVP required) 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm: crafts and stories Bennett's Village is partnering with students in the Instructional and Assistive Technology Applications course at the University of Virginia School of...

New Look, Same Mission

It’s time to share the work we, along with the excellent designers at Journey Group, have been doing over the past six months! As Bennett's Village grows, we wanted to create a new look that reflects that growth and helps us communicate our mission more fully. These...

Let’s Talk about Bathrooms

How often have you or someone you cared about struggled to use a bathroom due its small size, heavy door, or lack of accessible features? Maybe it is because you were trying to use the bathroom and you had a young one in your arms (or the stroller wouldn’t fit in the...

Moving Lives Forward with UVA Athletics

https://www.cartermyersautomotive.com/UVA-moving-lives-forward.htm Carter Myers Automotive is a proud sponsor of UVA, UVA Athletics, and the people who Move Lives Forward in our Community! On December 3rd, 2022 CMA partnered up with UVA Athletics to help in joining...