Wet Nose, Endless Love... Meet Gracie!

“Gracie has brought joy back in my life. My house was very empty after my husband passed away last year. Gracie is my companion and brings life into my home.”

— Gail Palmer

When visiting the office you may notice Neighborhood House’s therapy dog Gracie making her rounds. This adorable Double Doodle (Poodle, Golden Retriever, and Labrador mix) enjoys greeting everyone with a puppy kiss and a tail wag (especially Cyndi who keeps special treats for her)! Gracie’s Mom, Gail Parker, NH counseling volunteer says, “Gracie makes my house a home. She is playful and fun to be with. I love her very much.”

Not only does Gracie enjoy coming to Neighborhood House, but she also meets with clients who love her as much as she loves them! Gail’s clients mention how much they look forward to having her in the counseling room. She interacts with clients appropriately and can easily decipher their moods and/or needs. Research shows that being in the presence of a dog can ease loneliness, and reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. We are grateful to have Gracie here at Neighborhood House, not only to support our clients but to brighten our day as well!

Community Impact: Pop-Up Pantry!

Introducing Neighborhood House's newest Comm(YOU)nity Outreach initiative: Pop-Up Pantry!

The focus of this new neighborhood initiative, the Pop-Up Pantry, is to encourage current clients to help spread the word throughout their neighborhoods about programs and services offered here at Neighborhood House.  

“We realize there are still folks in our community unaware of the services Neighborhood House offers. Part of our outreach goal is to visit our neighbors in their Neighborhoods and show them how we can help (particularly the service our Food Pantry provides). ”

— Cyndi Pettit, Client Services Manager

Communities currently served by Neighborhood House are visited by our Client Services team.  Staff members are on-site to answer questions and provide prospective clients with valuable information about available resources and services with the goal of enrolling new clients.  

Pop-Up Pantry visitors can grab a sample food box highlighting what clients of the Food Pantry receive.  Additionally, all clients that bring a neighbor are entered into a raffle for a gift card!

Please help spread the word about our new Pop-Up Pantry! @NHsince1968

For more information contact:
Cyndi Pettit, Client Services Manager at Cyndi@ranh.org

The Impact of Neighborhood Heroes

“This has been a fantastic way to end an unprecedented year. It is inspiring to see the motivation these kids have to be change makers in their own community. I love helping kids understand they are never too young to make a difference.”

— Kristin Zagula, 2nd Grade Teacher

The morning I arrived at Hamlin Elementary, I was blown away. Students lined the sidewalk with hundreds and hundreds of donations to help celebrate neighbors in our community. I observed students demonstrating teamwork, collaboration, and kindness as they worked together to make a difference in the lives of others. The excitement and level of energy were high as they created pyramids of cake, icing, and candles. After taking some group photos, Students filled my SUV with donations to celebrate others in need. Next Stop? To the Food Pantry… and beyond!

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All celebration items were lined up; it was incredible to see! As a group, Mrs. Moore, Mrs. Zagula, and I were interested in conducting a final count to see how many items were collected overall. Drum roll, please…

Donations included:
·     163 boxes of cake
·  117 cans of icing
·     67 packages of candles
*A total of 317 pounds! WOW!🎉

What can we all learn from this story? EVERYONE regardless of age has the capacity to make a difference. Helping children learn from a young age how valuable and rewarding helping others can be is a vital opportunity. The best part? YOU can do the same! Interested in learning how YOU can be a Neighborhood Hero? Visit our website at www.ranh.org/donate-now or contact Jeni at developmentofficer@ranh.org or 248-651-5836 | ext. 29.

Celebration Drive - The Beginning!

I could not wait to hear what this amazing group of 2nd graders had planned for their donation drive! Mrs. Zagula’s group collaborated and decided to hold an ice pop sale outside at recess and did chores around the house to raise money. The class created a fantastic commercial, highlighting Neighborhood House's services, and their classroom initiative to raise money to help others in need. Their creativity, dedication, and generosity were heartwarming and an absolute joy to experience. They demonstrated how even young people can create an immense impact in our world!

Following the ice pop sale, all proceeds were used to purchase boxed cake mix, candles, and frosting for the Food Pantry in an effort to "celebrate others!" In-person donation drives may look a bit different nowadays, yet they continue to have the same incredible result... positively changing the lives of others.

“This is such a wonderful opportunity for our kids to give back to their community. Seeing their eyes light up when they know they are actively doing something to make someone’s life a little better is wonderful to witness.”

— Ashely Rea, 2nd Grade parent

2nd Grade Superheroes!

“I’m so proud of these students for thinking about our community and putting the ‘Other People Matter’ mindset into action.”

— Amanda Lyons, Hamlin Elementary Principal says,

Mrs. Kristin Zagula and Mrs. Moore, 2nd-grade teachers at Hamlin Elementary School in Rochester Hills, were seeking a hands-on opportunity to help their students learn how they could make a difference in their community. They had partnered with Neighborhood House in the past, utilizing experiences to supplement their social studies units of study. Mrs. Zagula and Mrs. Moore were searching for a face-to-face experience to teach their students how Neighborhood House helps our neighbors in need and wanted to highlight an opportunity for their students to get involved, give back, and make a difference.

I recently had the pleasure of presenting to this group of 2nd graders on Zoom. Immediately following the presentation, I opened up the discussion to include student-driven questions. The number of hands raised, and genuine excitement was very powerful and proved how much these young learners want to make a difference! Once our session concluded, Mrs. Zagula, Mrs. Moore, and their students got right to work. They are currently learning about celebrating others and brainstormed ways to accomplish this right here in our Rochester community. Students shared their ideas and concluded that they wanted to host a donation drive of their very own!

  Stay tuned! These young heroes have something VERY special planned!