Serving the poor effectively, and helping them build a more stable life, means acknowledging and addressing these issues head-on. This approach is a guiding principle of Good Neighbor House, an organization that helps underserved families in the region by providing food, clothing, and household items; low-cost medical, dental, and vision care; wellness, nutrition, and life skills classes; and connections to other needed resources.

Offering a wide range of services from a single location can make a big difference when clients have to spend hours on buses to get around town, or they are juggling multiple jobs and tenuous childcare arrangements on a given day. With Good Neighbor House’s “one stop shopping” model, those in need are more likely to access needed services, and less likely to go without vital support.

“We're just neighbors helping neighbors,” said Tiffany Collie, director of operations and development at Good Neighbor House. “Whatever neighbor needs help, we're here, and we're here to stand in the gap for you as long as you need us.”