Three pages — two sheets if you print double-sided. Or save as PDF from the print window.
Deadline: September 28
Three calls. Five minutes.
One shot in ten years.
Virginia is choosing about 152 Opportunity Zones from 607 places that qualify, and Callao has never been on the map. The county’s application is filed and both our legislators are behind it. What’s left is Richmond hearing it from the people who live here — by September 28th, then not again until 2036.
The county asked. So did our legislators.
The application is filed, and Delegate Kent and Senator Stuart are both on record behind it. What's left is Richmond hearing from us.
Qualifying is no longer enough.
The state is taking about 152 tracts out of 607 that all qualify. Somebody has to be speaking for ours.
It costs nothing.
Nomination asks nothing of the county or the state. No money, no match, no strings.
Your details
These show your call came from a real neighbor. They’re never shared or made public.
Your name
Phone number
Street address (route or box is fine)
Town
Circle the reason that’s true for you
This becomes the line in your script where you say why it matters to you. Staff hear scripts all day. The line they remember is the one that sounds like a person.
If you have kids or grandkids
My kids grew up here and there's nowhere for them to rent, so they left.
I've got grandchildren I'd like to have close by someday, and right now there's nothing here for them.
The young families I know can't find a house they can afford, so we lose them one at a time.
If you work or run a business here
I run a business in Callao and I'd like to have some neighbors on that road.
I've tried to keep a storefront rented on that highway and it has been a losing fight.
I can't hire anybody, because there's nowhere close for them to live.
Every time something opens here it closes two years later. I'd like to see somebody put money in for once.
If you volunteer
I'm on the volunteer fire department, and we can't get young people, because nobody young can afford to live close enough to answer a call.
I help out at the church and half the congregation drives in from somewhere else now.
If you've been here a long time
I've lived here my whole life and we never seem to be on anybody's list.
I've watched those buildings on 360 sit empty for years and nothing ever comes of it.
I have to drive to Warsaw or Kilmarnock for almost everything now, and it didn't used to be that way.
I'm retired here, and I'd like this town to still be a town for the people coming after me.
If you just think it's fair
We pay taxes like everybody else and I'd like to see something come back this direction for once.
It costs nothing to put us on the list. I don't understand why we wouldn't ask.
Or write your own
Calls 1 and 2 — the thank-you calls
Both are already behind us, so this call says thank you and asks one thing: has a letter gone to Richmond? Read it as written, with your details in the blanks. On your second call, say “the Senator” where it says “the Delegate.”
"Hi, my name is and I live in ."
"I'm not calling to ask for anything today. I'm calling to say thank you — I understand the Delegate is behind Callao's application to be named an Opportunity Zone."
"The reason I'm still calling is the Governor's picks are due September 28th, and the state is only taking about 152 tracts out of 607 that qualify. Ours needs somebody in Richmond speaking for it."
"Can I ask — has the Delegate put anything in writing to the Governor's office, or to DHCD and VEDP, about our tract?"
Stop here and let them answer. This is the answer worth writing down.
"If a letter has gone out, would it be possible for the county to get a copy? It helps a great deal to be able to show it."
"And here's why it matters to me. the reason you circled on the other side"
"My name again is and my number is . Thank you for your time."
Delegate Hillary Pugh Kent
House District 67
(804) 698-1067
DelHKent@house.virginia.gov
How did it go?
Spoke to someone Voicemail No answer Emailed
Did they say anyone would follow up?
Yes No Couldn’t tell
Who did you speak to?
Has a letter gone to Richmond? What did they say?
You can show what they told me on the website. Don’t show my name.
Senator Richard Stuart
Senate District 25
(804) 493-8892
senatorstuart@senate.virginia.gov
How did it go?
Spoke to someone Voicemail No answer Emailed
Did they say anyone would follow up?
Yes No Couldn’t tell
Who did you speak to?
Has a letter gone to Richmond? What did they say?
You can show what they told me on the website. Don’t show my name.
Page 2 of 3 · the third call is on the next page
Call 3 — the Governor’s office
This is the one that decides it. Keep it short: a constituent line writes down a topic, a town and a position. Say the tract number slowly — it’s what they type in.
"Hi, my name is and I live in , in Northumberland County."
"I'm calling about the Opportunity Zone nominations that are due September 28th. I'd like to ask the Governor to include census tract 51133020100. That's Callao."
"Our county has already filed its application, and our Delegate and our Senator are both behind it."
"It's exactly what the Governor said she's looking for — downtown revitalization and housing. Our main road is empty storefronts, and almost a quarter of the homes in our ZIP code are sitting vacant."
"Northumberland County has never had one of these. Can you log that as a request from a constituent?"
Stop here and let them answer.
"Here's why it matters to me. the reason you circled on the other side"
"My name again is , in . Thank you for your time."
Governor Abigail Spanberger
Constituent line, Richmond
(804) 786-2211
Or email oz2026@vedp.org and oz@dhcd.virginia.gov
How did it go?
Spoke to someone Voicemail No answer Emailed
Did they say they'd log it or follow up?
Yes No Couldn’t tell
Who did you speak to?
What did they say?
You can show what they told me on the website. Don’t show my name.
Rather do this on your phone?
Point your camera at the code, or go to countyvoice.org/oz. The site dials for you, fills in your script, writes the email to the state for you, and counts your call the moment you save it.
Done on paper? Hand this sheet to the organizer and your calls join the same count.
Census tract 51133020100 · Northumberland County, Virginia