Our Mission
To provide assistance to need-based and qualified individuals and families from Greene and Putnam Counties for specific and verified necessities.
Candidates include low-income families, older adults, military veterans, single working parents and their children, and individuals with physical and/or developmental disabilities.
Listen up.
Listen as our President Bob Massey is interviewed by Robbie King, host of Lure of the Lake, a podcast devoted to sharing stories of the fascinating people and organizations lured to the beauty of Lake Oconee. They discuss the Who, What, and Why of how NHN is changing lives in Putnam and Greene Counties.
The Need
The poverty rate in Greene and Putnam Counties (~18% or 7,500 residents) is higher than both the state of Georgia average and the national average.
Areas of Focus
Critical Home Repairs/Improvements
Vehicle Repairs/Replacements
‘Beds for Kidz’ without a bed
Complementing and Collaborating With Other Local Organizations
Identifying Needs
We work with local individuals, school systems, charitable organizations, churches, and government organizations to identify specific, one-time, quality-of-life-changing needs.
Networking
We network with the community to receive donations from individuals and businesses.
Partnering
We partner with other local charities and religious organizations to provide greater assistance than any one entity could offer.
For Example…
The Beds for Kidz project (delivers beds to children without a bed) would not exist without the partnership between Neighbors Helping Neighbors (NHN) and The First Methodist Church of Greensboro-Lake Oconee. NHN buys the materials and the Mission Team at GFUMC cuts the lumber, assembles the beds and delivers them to the recipients. Neither NHN nor GFUMC could accomplish this mission without the other.
Helping Qualified Recipients
We identify and qualify recipients using a thorough and codified internal process.
By sourcing other dollars (including the recipient themselves) to assist in funding projects, recipient approval will be for those deserving of a hand-up and not a handout.
We always maintain the privacy and dignity of every recipient.
Our Commitment:
Funding Sources and Expenses
100% of member funds and donations go to project costs.
Operating expenses are funded separately from other sources—including members of the board of directors.
Funding comes from member annual dues & contributions, non-member contributions, community organizations, and recipients themselves. Annual dues are $400 although the average member donation is approximately $700 with many of our members choosing to give $1,000 or more.
We have no paid employees, capital expenditures, or facility costs.
Note: Neighbors Helping Neighbors is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization (EIN 85-2181082). All dues and additional cash or stock donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Please consult your tax advisor.
Recently Completed Projects
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We recently helped an older woman who had no running water in her home. She used a bucket to wash dishes and flush the toilet. We hired a plumber who resolved the problem in a couple of days. It cost us $1,600 which, to her, might as well have been $10,000. She lives on a very limited income and did not have the money for the repairs.
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Our Beds for Kidz program provides beds for children who are sleeping on the floor, sofa or multiple kids on one bed. A mother’s words of appreciation say it all, “I wanted to thank y’all very much for the beds my boy and girl loved it. They now have a comfortable place to sleep. May God bless y’all always and thank you once again.”
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A note from a single mom car recipient that we helped: “Thank you for helping me get my new car. It is amazing! … It means I don’t have to wait for hours before work for the store to open and after it has closed waiting for a ride. … It has truly changed my life. It’s lovely to know there are still angels out there in the world, and you and the Men of Lake Oconee are some of them. I will always appreciate what you have done for me.”
