Introducing Hello Neighbor
I have some really exciting new to share. As my friends and family have seen unfold over the past few months, I’ve really been looking for ways to support refugees and immigrants. I’ve focused on how we build community, how we upstand for others, how we can be given opportunities to meet and get to know refugees and immigrants in our neighborhoods.
I had an idea percolating for awhile, a concept around creating a mentorship program between refugee and immigrants and their neighbors. Like a Big Brothers/Big Sisters but for refugees. In my own experience getting to know a Syrian family in my neighborhood I’ve seen how this can work. A program that would be structured with a time commitment but also take from the fellowship model and have a class where mentors and mentees can get together and be part of a new kind of community. A program that would have 1–1 mentoring plus community events plus projects and volunteer opportunities for people who want to help but maybe don’t have the time to commit to being a mentor for 6 months.
I proudly introduce Hello Neighbor.
The site is live, the applications for the first class will go live in a few weeks. Here’s where I could use your help. I’m looking to have the following conversations and if this sparks ideas I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me any number of ways including my new email sloane@helloneighbor.io
— Unlock funding. I’d like to talk to foundations and people who are interested in funding initiatives that support refugees and immigrants
— Build a board of advisors. I’m talking to some really amazing people right now that are really helping me think big and critically about how to do this right. If you’d like to join this conversation, I’d love to hear from you.
— I’m launching in Pittsburgh with a pilot program this summer. If you’d like to be part of this, let’s talk. If you want to see this in your city and this crazy idea works, I’ll be looking to expand to new cities in 2018.
I am also so proud to say that my cover was blown this morning by The NYTimes who included Hello Neighbor in a roundup of ways to help refugees. The writer also included Hello Neighbor’s first project, the National Refugee Agency Database that I’ve been talking about the last few weeks.
You can sign up on Hello Neighbor for more information, follow Hello Neighbor here on Medium, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Together we are stronger. Looking forward to building Hello Neighbor with your support.
