Neighbor House Association

Family is the centerpiece of Neighborhood House Association’s vast range of work in San Diego. As the area’s largest multipurpose social service agency, it provides a safety net for more than 300,000 individuals and families each year. Programs include the San Diego Food Bank, Head Start child development, senior nutrition, employment, mental health, HIV/AIDS and youth services, to name a few.

Neighborhood House has been a San Diego institution for 125 years. Regina Evans, interim president and CEO, credits this longevity to the compassionate individuals who framed its mission and to the dedication of its most recent CEO, Howard Carey, who led the organization for 35 years, taking it from a $400,000 operation to a $100 million operation. She also praises the many sponsors and volunteers who serve as its lifeblood.

As one example of the association’s work, Evans tells the story of the Partida family of San Diego, who receive services through the Adult Day Health Care Center. This facility provides rehabilitative nursing and social activities to adults and seniors who cannot be left alone for long periods of time. Prior to learning about the center, the family would grieve about arranging work schedules in order to care for their aged mother, who required supervision. Now that the mother attends the Adult Day Health Care Center, the members of this multigenerational family are able to work during the day, knowing that their mother is in a safe, caring environment.

“We believe that a society that keeps seniors first clearly indicates its compassion for all of us,” declares Evans. The Senior Service Center, another program sponsored by Neighborhood House, provides nutrition, socialization and health services to more than 150 seniors each day.

Volunteers are at the heart of Neighborhood House Association’s work. Programs currently seeking volunteers include the San Diego Food Bank, the senior nutrition program, The Connection (a teenage pregnancy prevention program), as well as Youth Plus (a program for disadvantaged youths). From working in a classroom, to cooking and serving meals, to sorting and delivering donated food, many opportunities exist for people to engage in rewarding, hands-on community service.

To ensure that no one goes to bed hungry, Neighborhood House is currently promoting its holiday food drive. No time to shop? Individuals can participate in the virtual food drive on the association’s Web site with the click of a mouse. Also look for information on the organization’s 92nd anniversary gala, which will take place on March 31, 2006.

As Evans concludes, “We are actively involved in trying to ensure that San Diego is America’s finest city for every resident.”

To learn more about Neighborhood House Association, visit neighborhoodhouse.org or call 858-715-2642 to speak with a volunteer coordinator.