This week, Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin donated a portion of the Governor’s salary to Canine Companions to secure service dogs for Virginians in need, with the first dog placed in Petersburg, Virginia. 

In keeping with the Governor’s promise to give away the entirety of his gubernatorial salary to benefit Virginians, this donation was given to a second Petersburg nonprofit underscoring the Youngkins' commitment to this most deserving community and the Administration’s ‘Partnership for Petersburg’.

Canine Companions is a leader in the nonprofit service dog industry, pairing individuals with dogs to support independent and healthy living. The benefits of the bond between humans and animals cannot be overstated, and these service dogs will make a profound impact in healthcare, criminal justice, and education settings across the Commonwealth.

Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin celebrated the start of the holiday season by lighting the official Capitol Christmas Tree this week. The Governor and First Lady were joined by Virginia Department of Forestry leaders, the Fort Union Military Academy Marching Band, and Virginians who gathered on the South Portico of the Capitol to watch the ceremony. This year’s tree is a 25-foot Norway Spruce donated by John and Virginia Carroll of Claybrook Farm in Mineral, Virginia. 

This week, Governor Youngkin celebrated the opening of the Tyson Foods state-of-the-art facility in Danville. The new Danville plant by Tyson Foods means nearly 400 new jobs for Virginians in Southside in a modernized environment built for the 21st century. The Commonwealth’s business climate, infrastructure, and skilled workforce facilitate a long-term partnership with Tyson Foods, and Governor Youngkin thanks the company for reinvesting in Virginia with its operation in Danville-Pittsylvania County.

Under Governor Youngkin’s leadership, 230,000 more Virginians are working today than just 23 months ago, we are at a ten-year high with labor participation, and we have the largest labor force in the history of Virginia.

(photo courtesy of Pittsylvania County)

First Lady of Virginia Suzanne S. Youngkin visited a true light in the Richmond area that helps people in times of need. The Doorways is a home away from home for patients and their loved ones while undergoing treatments at local hospitals.  The First Lady met with The Doorways CEO Stacy Brinkley and others and toured the facility, which includes private rooms and convenient amenities.  The Governor and First Lady have also hosted The Doorways staff and guests for Easter activities at the Executive Mansion.

Mrs. Youngkin kicked off the holidays with Virginia’s 2023 Christmas Mothers -- a tradition uniquely special to greater Richmond. These inspirational 'mothers' bring the spirit of Christmas to their communities by helping families in need — ensuring the age-old role of moms as caretakers endures! The First Lady acknowledged and thanked each ‘mother’ for her devotion to making sure communities are not forgotten or left behind this holiday season.

Free speech is one of the foundations of our Commonwealth and country. 

This week, Governor Youngkin led a summit on protecting free speech at the University of Virginia. With nearly every college and university president from around the Commonwealth in attendance, Governor Youngkin pledged that he will always stand up for the rights of our students and faculty to speak their minds. Governor Youngkin also stressed the need for our colleges and universities to foster an environment of intellectual diversity on campus. 

Watch below! 

This week, Governor Youngkin celebrated JP Morgan’s investment in TalentReady, which brings together K-12 and higher education leaders to strengthen workforce opportunities for students. By fostering partnerships between our educational institutions and Virginia’s employers, we are investing in Virginia’s future by preparing the next generation for success.

The Governor and First Lady were honored to meet the growers behind this year’s winning Christmas tree and wreath, as recognized by the Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association. We laud the Houston and Grove families for their evergreen thumbs and are so grateful for the magic their craft brings to Virginia’s home in Richmond and homes across the Commonwealth. Christmas tree farming is an important part of Virginia #homehistory. With over 460 farms covering 10,000 acres of land used for Christmas tree production and an inventory of more than 4.3 million Christmas trees generating sales of $11.6 million, Virginia ranks seventh in the nation for total Christmas tree inventory. 

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