Hello Neighbor Network Expands Fellowship Program, Empowering 80 Nonprofit Leaders Across 29 States to Foster Inclusive Communities

In 2024, 17 community nonprofit leaders across 12 states will join the Hello Neighbor Network’s Fellowship program.

The Network’s Fellowship program currently serves 80 grassroots nonprofits leaders across 29 states. This program supports leaders in their environments as they address the unique needs of their respective communities throughout the country. This is done through peer support and interpersonal connections, education and know-how, funding opportunities via the Network Resilience Grants program and more.

The Fellowship supports nonprofits during the early years of their existence; this is widely known to be the most challenging time of their development, during which 30–50% of small businesses and nonprofits fail.

By growing the Fellowship, Hello Neighbor expands community and connection between grassroots leaders throughout the U.S., all of whom make their communities more welcoming and inclusive to immigrants and refugees. The Fellowship will provide leaders with meaningful community and connection, and with relevant, built-in opportunities to strengthen their organizations.

Between the evacuation of Afghanistan in 2021, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and a host of other geopolitical conflicts, increased capacity is required across the U.S. to help resettle and offer post-resettlement support to refugee and immigrant families. There are over 108.4 million forcibly displaced people around the world. Many refugees arrive at their destinations without the language and cultural knowledge to navigate a new place. There are hundreds of community members, community-based groups, and early-stage nonprofits who have the passion and approach to do the work of welcoming new neighbors to the U.S. and are eager to get started.

The 17 Hello Neighbor Network Fellows represent 12 states across the U.S.:

• Anjum Malik, Global Impact Initiative (Austin, TX)
• Anna Kovalenko, Ukrainian Society of Michigan (Grand Rapids, MI)
• Ashley Lucie, Welcome to America Project (Tempe, AZ)
• Aubrey Wieberg and Jasmin Kaur, Dallas Refugee Project (Irving, TX)
• Camela Echols, Refugee Empowerment Project (Memphis, TN)
• Chantal Muhumure, Umoja Abq (Albuquerque, NM)
• Dilkhwaz Ahmed, License to Freedom (El Cajon, CA)
• Dorothy Hassan, Our Helpers (Columbus, OH)
• Emelia Sheeley, Riverview International Center (Columbus, OH)
• Jennifer Gill, One World One Love (Summit, NJ)
• Kate Carlier Currie, Maketank Inc. (Oxford, OH)
• Kay Klo, Midtown Utica Community Center (Utica, NY)
• Michelle Swearingen, Restoration Immigration Legal Aid (Arlington, VA)
• Nancy Van Maren, Nations to Neighbors (Billings, MT)
• Sherry Blum, Austin Jews and Partners for Refugees (Austin, TX)
• Vijay Bhujel, Building Community in New Hampshire (Manchester, NH)

About Hello Neighbor Network: The Hello Neighbor Network, powered by Hello Neighbor, works with grassroots leaders and organizations across the United States serving immigrants and refugees. It promotes greater understanding and connection between new neighbors and host communities and encourages the development of more resilient and inclusive communities by supporting nonprofit organizations and their leaders. For more information, please visit neighbornetwork.io