Neighboring Volunteers from local Christian Faith Communities

The Bridge of Hope Harrisburg Area Neighborhood is comprised of the Neighboring Family (single mom & her children), an average of 6 to 10 Neighboring Volunteers from Christian Faith Communities in Dauphin, Cumberland, and York Counties, and a Neighborhood Resource Specialist.

You, your family (including children), and/or your Christian Faith Community can join our Neighborhood and provide relationships, tangible supports and social capital to a single mother and her children.

The time commitment involved is regular monthly gatherings with the Neighboring Family for a time of fellowship and support as well as being available to share your talents, social capital and resources with the Neighboring Family as needed. Consider the “neighbors” in your life. Some are regularly engaged in your life and others are there when specific assistance is needed; however, you have them. You know they’re with you to call upon in different seasons of life. The role you have as part of the Bridge of Hope Neighborhood will depend greatly upon your availability, interests, skill set, and passions as well as that of the Neighboring family’s relationship with you.

Interested? Contact us to get involved!

To sign up as a Christian faith community to be Neighboring Volunteers, please complete our Contact form and someone will be in touch.

Contact Us
“There are so many facets of this experience that, as a pastor, are gratifying. It is indeed a holy privilege to have this very particular way of being ‘in the gap’ between what is God’s best desire for families and what is reality. We do it with a certain ache…and yet, also with hope, that our mutual futures will be something closer to what God intends because we are doing this together.”

Pastor Jane Roeschley, from Mennonite Church of Normal, IL

Neighboring Volunteers

Neighboring Volunteers journey with families facing homelessness, offering support and
encouragement as they work toward stability.

Learn More

 

Neighboring: the act of being like Jesus to a neighbor in need. (see Luke 10:27)

FAQs

Neighboring: the act of being like Jesus to a neighbor in need. (see Luke 10:27)

  • 6 to 10 people from a church (or other Christian Faith Community, such as a Bible Study group).
  • Both men and women, married and single, any age.
  • Committed to the Bridge of Hope Neighborhood for 12 to 24 months while the family is working toward financial stability in the Bridge of Hope program.
  • Bridge of Hope Strangers to Neighbors® Training (online course and in-person group session).
  • Individual time: providing tangible and practical support, networking on behalf of the Neighboring Family based on their specific goals and desires, and offering encouragement and emotional support via phone calls, one-on-one get-togethers, etc.
  • Neighborhood Gatherings: monthly or quarterly gatherings for the purpose of relationship building, celebrations, or ongoing training.
  • Neighboring is relationship building and as with all relationships, the more time that is given, the stronger the relationship that may emerge.
  • Neighborhood Resource Specialist facilitates a Neighborhood Launch, introducing the Neighboring Volunteers and the Neighboring Family, thus forming the Bridge of Hope Neighborhood.
  • Regular contact from Neighborhood Resource Specialist via emails and/or phone calls, and group or individual meetings.
  • Continued education opportunities for Neighboring Volunteers through presentations at Neighborhood Gatherings, a copy of Strangers to Neighbors®: A Guide to Neighboring Families Facing Homelessness, and access to the Bridge of Hope online video library.