Neighbors Inc

PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR NEIGHBORS TO THRIVE BY CONNECTING VOLUNTEERS WITH PEOPLE IN NEED

OUR MODEL CENTERS ON QUALIFIED VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF WHO ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING HEALTHY FOOD, CLOTHING AND INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT SERVICES TO HELP STABILIZE PEOPLE WITH LOW INCOMES IN NORTHERN DAKOTA COUNTY. WE SERVE THE COMMUNITIES OF SOUTH ST. PAUL, WEST ST. PAUL, INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MENDOTA, MENDOTA HEIGHTS, LILYDALE AND SUNFISH LAKE AS WELL AS MANY WHO ARE HOMELESS. OF THOSE SERVED: 40 PERCENT ARE WHITE, 32 PERCENT ARE LATINO, 14 PERCENT ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN, 12 PERCENT ARE MULTIRACIAL, AND 2 PERCENT ARE ASIAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN. ADDITIONALLY, MANY OF OUR SUPPORTIVE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS SERVE DAKOTA COUNTY'S AGING POPULATION. NEIGHBORS, INC. HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME AS THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE CHANGED. TODAY WE OPERATE MULTIPLE HUNGER RELIEF PROGRAMS, EMERGENCY SMALL SUMS GRANTS AND CLOTHING VOUCHERS THROUGH OUR THRIFT STORE. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE A SEASONAL HOLIDAY GIFT ADOPTION PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES IN NEED. WE RELY ON VOLUNTEERS TO HELP US MEET OUR MISSION ON-SITE AND IN THE COMMUNITY EACH DAY. IN TURN, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO HELP THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS IS A PROGRAM IN ITSELF. WHEN A PERSON CALLS IN TO NEIGHBORS FOR FOOD SUPPORT, THEY ARE QUICKLY WRAPPED IN A COMPREHENSIVE EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO A WIDE VARIETY OF SERVICES AND PROGRAMS. IT IS HERE THAT WE WORK WITH SOMEONE TO DETERMINE THE BEST MANNER FOR WHICH TO RECEIVE THEIR FOOD PICK-UP, DELIVERY, OR SHOPPING ON-SITE. CLIENTS CAN BE SCREENED OVER THE PHONE FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL FEDERAL OR STATE PROGRAMS INCLUDING FOOD PROGRAMS, HOUSING ASSISTANCE, CHILDCARE, MEDICAL INSURANCE, ETC. AND, WHEN APPROPRIATE, ARE REFERRED TO A PARTNER SERVICE PROVIDER OR AGENCY THAT CAN ASSIST THEM. WE PROVIDE SERVICES THAT ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING AREAS OF COMMUNITY NEED: HUNGER - OUR FOOD SHELF IS AT THE CORE OF WHAT WE DO AND SERVES THE MOST PEOPLE. EACH HOUSEHOLD SERVED IN THE FOOD SHELF RECEIVES SUFFICIENT FOOD FOR THREE MEALS A DAY FOR 7-10 DAYS. THERE ARE THREE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO ACCESS OUR FOOD SHELF: IN-PERSON SHOPPING, CURBSIDE PICK-UP AND DELIVERY. OUR FOOD SUPPORT ALSO INCLUDES FRESH BAKERY, PRODUCE, DAIRY AND MEAT DISTRIBUTED THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORS' EXPRESS OFF-SITE SATELLITE FOOD SHELVES LOCATED AT APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN OUR SERVICE AREA EXPERIENCING MULTIPLE BARRIERS TO ACCESSING HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS. RESILIENCY - CLIENT ENGAGEMENT SPECIALISTS ASSIST PEOPLE THROUGH ONE-ON-ONE VISITS. THROUGH CONVERSATION, THEY WILL AUTHORIZE BOTH FOOD SHELF USAGE, SMALL SUMS GRANTS AND CLOTHING VOUCHERS. ADDITIONALLY, THEY CONNECT CLIENTS WITH MEANINGFUL RESOURCES, SUCH AS ADDITIONAL FOOD SUPPORT PROGRAMS, ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION CLASSES, LEGAL ASSISTANCE, EMPLOYMENT COUNSELING, EDUCATION RESOURCES, ENERGY ASSISTANCE, DOMESTIC ABUSE SHELTERS, ETC. OUR RESILIENCY SERVICES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:-SMALL SUMS GRANTS - CLIENT ENGAGEMENT SPECIALISTS WORK TO ALLEVIATE IMMEDIATE FINANCIAL NEED FOR THOSE WHO ARE FACED WITH LOSS OR THREAT OF LOSS OF BASIC MATERIAL NEEDS SUCH AS HOUSING AND UTILITIES.-CLOTHES CLOSET THRIFT STORE - THE THRIFT STORE SELLS HIGH QUALITY DONATED CLOTHING AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS TO THE PUBLIC. FOR THOSE UNABLE TO PAY, A VOUCHER IS PROVIDED. -HOLIDAY GIFT PROGRAM - OUR WINTER HOLIDAY PROGRAM FOCUS' ON PROVIDING GIFTS TO BRIGHTEN THE SEASON TO THOSE WHO MAY OTHERWISE HAVE NONE. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - NEIGHBORS VOLUNTEER SERVICES SUPPORT ALL THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES OFFERED. ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS AREA ARE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING INTERNSHIPS, AND NONPROFIT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND STRENGTHS - EXPANDED THE SHOPPING AREA IN THE FOOD SHELF - RE-OPENED IN PERSON SHOPPING

STAFF, BOARD AND VOLUNTEERS NEIGHBORS, INC. EMPLOYS 17 STAFF. OUR MODEL IS SUCH THAT THERE ARE MORE VOLUNTEERS THAN PAID STAFF WHO WORK ON-SITE EACH DAY. OUR DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN A VARIETY OF WAYS SCHEDULED SUPPORT IN THE FOOD SHELF, HELPING WITH OUR FUNDRAISING EVENTS, CASHIERING IN THE THRIFT STORE, PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS, AND MUCH MORE. THIS IS HOW WE KEEP OUR COSTS DOWN AND OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT UP! IN ADDITION, WE STRIVE FOR STAFF WHO CAN BEST SERVE OUR VISITORS, AND HAVE FIVE EMPLOYEES WHO SPEAK FLUENT SPANISH. OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONSISTS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LEADERS IN THEIR FIELDS AND ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT NEIGHBORS AND THE PEOPLE WE SERVE. WE HAVE ATTRACTED RESPECTED INDIVIDUALS FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO BRING A MIX OF SKILLS AND EXPERTISE IN ACCOUNTING, LEGAL, FINANCE, HUMAN RESOURCES, STRATEGIC PLANNING, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE TO THE TABLE. WE CONTINUALLY STRIVE FOR GENDER BALANCE AND DIVERSITY, AND CURRENTLY MIRROR OUR COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS. PROGRAM AND SERVICES FY 2021-22 DATAHUNGER PROGRAMS FOOD SHELF FAMILIES SERVED - 6,671 FOOD SHELF INDIVIDUALS SERVED - 18,232 NEIGHBORS EXPRESS FAMILIES SERVED - 10,711 NEIGHBORS EXPRESS INDIVIDUALS SERVED - 20,700 MONTHLY SATURDAY DISTRIBUTIONS HOUSEHOLDS SERVED - 225 MONTHLY SATURDAY DISTRIBUTIONS INDIVIDUALS SERVED - 690 POUNDS OF FOOD DISTRIBUTED/DONATED - 774,141RESILIENCY PROGRAMS PEOPLE RECEIVING CLOTHING VOUCHERS - 1,518 TOTALING $13,074 NON-FOOD TANGIBLES DISTRIBUTED - $35,082 IN-KIND VALUE FAMILIES RECEIVING HOLIDAY GIFT ASSISTANCE - 754 FINANCIAL COUNSELING SERVICES - 41 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ANNUAL VOLUNTEERS - 465 CONTRIBUTED 16,319 HOURSROLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONSNEIGHBORS HAS BEEN A TRUSTED SOURCE OF HELP FOR LOW INCOME, RESOURCE CONSTRAINED, INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FOR NEARLY FIFTY YEARS. WE ARE KNOWN IN THE COMMUNITY AS A PLACE OF HELP FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE RESOURCES TO RESOLVE SCARCITY PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH LIVING IN POVERTY. HELPING PROFESSIONALS IN OUR SERVICE AREA REFER THEIR CLIENTS TO US WHENEVER THERE IS A NEED FOR FOOD, CLOTHING, ESSENTIAL TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER BASIC NEEDS. WE MINIMIZE THE DUPLICATION OF SERVICES BY PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY PROGRAMS ALREADY IN PLACE, AND FOUNDATIONS, CORPORATIONS AND INDIVIDUAL DONORS PARTNER WITH US TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT OUR OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMMING.