Partners
Community & Economic Development Office (CEDO), Burlington, Vermont
“When the City brought a group of stakeholders together in 2004 to come up with new strategies to help the 451 women raising their children in poverty in Burlington, Hal Colston came to the table with a vision for building social equity and building bridges across social classes. The city was pleased to be part of the birth of NeighborKeepers, to put Hal in touch with the Circles of Support program in Iowa and to provide start-up funding. The city looks forward to the continued growth and development of NeighborKeepers as it reaches out to new groups of local residents.”
-Margaret Bozik, Assistant Director for Management, Planning & Communications, CEDO
Mercy Connections
"When Hal Colston decided to foster the idea of Circles of Support (CoS), my predecessor, Sister Lindora Cabral, was excited to be part of that vision. Along with other agencies that had already been discussing how to broadly address the needs of struggling moms in Burlington, their efforts became channeled into the birth of CoS. Sister Lindora also assisted in helping to find seed money to begin NeighborKeepers, found space in the Mercy Connections office configuration for NeighborKeepers staff, and agreed to be the fiscal manager for the organization. While that role ended in June, 2008, Mercy Connections still collaborates with NeighborKeepers on projects involving both our programs such as refugee needs and those living on the edges of poverty in our community."
-Betsy Ferries, Executive Director, Mercy Connections
University of Vermont College of Medicine
“Our collaboration with NeighborKeepers brings medical, social work, and nursing students into direct contact with community members so that they can learn about the health effects of poverty in a real context rather than just through books. Our working definition of health is a complete state of physical, emotional, and social well being, not the mere absence of disease. Medical student education in the first year focuses on just the disease and this collaboration brings back in the vital social and emotional context. The relationship-based approach of NeighborKeepers is perfect as real dialogue occurs and students can develop their communication skills. Through the project, students step out of the role of the vulnerable student and recognize their relative privilege as they step into the role of giving health information to community members. The exchange creates an opportunity for mutual empowerment. We are also providing opportunities for future health care practitioners (doctors, nurses, and medical students) to appreciate one another and to work together, which will foster future collaborations among multidisciplinary health care teams.”
-Dana Walrath, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Vermont College of Medicine
VNA Family Room
“Working with NeighborKeepers is a wonderful fit for us in that our approach to helping people is very similar. What NeighborKeepers has been able to provide our shared families is just remarkable. Their expertise, patience, and genuine caring has gone a long way in helping a family remain housed, making a home safe and uncluttered for children, and providing the extra support a single dad has needed in maintaining his capacity to care for his family. Family Room staff and NeighborKeepers staff communicate easily and with trust; the trust carries over to the families, which is demonstrated in their capacity to utilize the services and make good progress.”
-Toki Eley, Director of Family and Children’s Services, VNA Family Room
Community Health Center of Burlington
“In this day and age, with all the complexities of life, case management and mentoring have become essential. NeighborKeepers is a key community partner that assists us with our mission of providing medical care to the underserved.”
-Jon Bourgo, Patient Special Services Coordinator, Community Health Center of Burlington
Good News Garage
"Hal Colston founded the Good News Garage in 1996. The Good News Garage is one of the first car donation non-profits in the United States to provide repaired, donated vehicles to people in need. NeighborKeepers and the Good News Garage are now partnering to provide affordable cars to participants in the NeighborKeepers program who need them. The combination of reliable transportation and community support will help remove barriers blocking low-income Vermonters from acquiring resources to move out of poverty."
-Carmen George, Good News Garage, Marketing and Development Manager
News
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