Network Partners with The Good People Fund for Appreciation Regrants

Hello Neighbor and The Good People Fund surprised 20 nonprofits across the nation working with refugees and immigrants each with a $250 Appreciation Grant this August.

The grant included these instructions: “Do something to support an individual, a family, a group in your community in the best way you can to address a need, provide an opportunity, or celebrate.”

The funding from Network Appreciation Grants went directly into communities. The Network received many amazing photos and stories outlining how these grants impacted refugees and immigrants around the country: read below to see how this funding was put to use!

Welcome Home Jersey City (Jersey City, New Jersey)

We were so thankful to have received this grant from the Hello Neighbor Network and The Good People Fund! We used this grant to pay for a portion of this kayaking excursion for our families, hosted by another local nonprofit. For many of our families, it was their first time on the Hudson River or in a kayak — or both! A group of volunteers got together to provide childcare for the kids who were too small to participate so that their grown-ups and older siblings wouldn’t miss out!

Neighbor to Neighbor (South Bend, Indiana)

We got our dear friend Max a Lowe’s gift card to be used on supplies to help bolster his new painting business. He is planning to put it towards scaffolding. Thank you so, so much for your kind generosity. What fun to receive and give unexpected gifts!

Tapestry Farms (Davenport, Iowa)

We used this grant to support Esther, who just moved into a new house. She has always dreamed of owning her own home, and this was one step closer to this as she will be renting this house — and learning what it means to take care of a house. With this funding, we paid for a Uhaul to move her, as well as an air conditioner for one of their bedrooms, an extension cord/duct tape to secure the cord to her TV.

Ladies Let’s Talk (Austin, Texas)

Laura and I were so surprised and pleased to receive a $250 grant from Hello Neighbor and the Good People Fund. We have passed this generosity (with a little of our LLT funds) on to one of our partners, Manos de Cristo (manosdecristo.org). One of the many services this nonprofit provides to the immigrant community is ESL classes. We work closely with Manos to make their students aware of the opportunity to use their new English skills with Ladies Let’s Talk. And Manos, in turn, encourages their female students to join our conversation sessions.

This past Tuesday 8/10, I went to Manos’ fall registration event with Elham Sadat, one of our board members, and presented a $280 check to Manos for seven ESL scholarships to immigrant women students. The names in the photo below are from L to R: Chichi Armstrong, LLT president; Elham Sadat, LLT board member; Lauren Tarnow and Maria Palacios, Manos de Cristo co-directors of education.

Soft Landing Missoula (Missoula, Montana)

Soft Landing Missoula used the Network Appreciation Grant to help purchase a laptop for our newest employee. This summer we were able to hire our first employee who came to Missoula as a refugee. She and her family arrived earlier this summer from Iraq, she has made a great addition to our team.

Elmahaba Center (Nashville, Tennessee)

Thanks to a generous donation by The Good People Fund through our Hello Neighbor Network, we were able to offer ESL books to our working class parents for free and focus our funds on paying for dinner each night for the students, their families, and volunteers, and we’re also able to offer childcare for free thanks to our community’s donations and support. We’re so grateful to offer knowledge to be accessible. Several of our students said that they wanted to learn English to communicate with their kids, to understand what their neighbor is trying to say to them, to get a better job with better hours so that they can be with their family more. One step at a time, we’re building those dreams together for each other.

Cornerstone Marriage and Family Intervention (Princeton, New Jersey)

Thank you to the Network and The Good People Fund for bringing a little light into the lives of our young Cornerstone community members during difficult times by sponsoring a fun bowling event to mark the end of a tumultuous summer!

HOLA Lakeway (Morristown, Tennessee)

This grant went towards our volunteer celebration. Volunteers received a $20 gift card and a little basket with treats. Due to COVID-19, we had to make some changes in our plans since some of our volunteers were affected and this was a great way to show our appreciation for their contributions during a difficult time.

REACH (Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area)

Many thanks to the Network & Good People Fund for the Network Appreciation Grant! We spent the day teaching new paddling and team-building skills to some of our refugee youth participants.

Break Bread, Break Borders (Dallas, Texas)

“BBBB Cookies with a Cause”! We’re grateful for the Hello Neighbor Network and Good People Fund grant for supporting our BBBB Community Cooks with training on consumer packaged goods to make food for good with a social impact.

Miry’s List (Los Angeles, California)

We used our Network Appreciation Grant to ship school readiness supplies, including new school clothes, backpacks, socks, and facemasks to 24 nonprofits serving resettling families across the U.S., most of whom at Hello Neighbor Network partner organizations. Over 60,000 individual items sent! Thank you so much!

Dwell Mobile (Mobile, Alabama)

Dwell Mobile used this round of funding to assist a family in paying their rent after they were sick with COVID for two week and missed work. They had several volunteers help with this initiative as well.

Refugee Assistance Alliance (Miami, Florida)

A big thank you to Hello Neighbor Network and The Good People Fund for the Network Appreciation Grant, which helped us to purchase a laptop for one of our newest families from Pakistan. Their old laptop did not work, so they were not able to attend classes online. With the new laptop, they’re able to attend our ESL class online and continue their studies!

Homes Not Borders (Washington, DC)

We used this grant funding on a bunk bed/trundle for four kids for our Afghan SIV friend who just had his seventh(!!!) kid. They are struggling for space and this really helps them out.

Home for Refugees USA (Los Angeles, California)

We visited the Méndez family last week to drop off clothing and household donations from Su Kara. The family received donations of socks, toiletries, and masks donated from Miry’s List, Baby2Baby and Hanna Anderson. We are so grateful for our partners and donors! Made possible through funding from Hello Neighbor Network and the Good People Fund.

Hearts and Homes for Refugees (Westchester, New York)

We put this $250 grant to Welcoming Gifts for the Durani family of 7. I was able to order a Welcome bundle from Books Unbound for refugee families. The Dad runs and the $20 shoes he bought are not adequate so we bought him a decent pair of running shoes. The Mom speaks no English and wants to be able to stream music, and phone calls, on a Bluetooth speaker. We used this $250 for their welcome gift and for the coloring books and picture dictionary we have purchased for the kids.

Claremont Canopy (Claremont, California)

With college classes back in full swing that also means expenses for dorm supplies and textbooks! We used this grant to help purchase these much needed items for both our college bound youth and adults!

Heartfelt Tidbits (Cincinnati, OH)

Thank you to the Good People Fund for the $250 grant. Funding was used to help with costs associated with our first “Family Fun Day.” We had over 80 people show up to their school for an evening of outdoor games, henna, tattoos, bubble galore, a pot luck meal, and a chance to survey families to see what they would like to learn more about. We learned that nutrition, preventive health care, and budgeting were their key needs. We have scheduled future events to cover their priorities. Again, thank you!

Two additional grants were given to International Neighbors (Charlottesville, VA) and Elena’s Light (New Haven, CT).

If you are a funder interested in learning more about the Hello Neighbor Network Regrant Program, you can learn more here.

Learn more about the Hello Neighbor Network. The Hello Neighbor Network accepts applications for Fellows every fall. Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when applications open.