During Women’s History Month, NeighborWorks America looks back on its own history, which is rooted in the work of Dorothy Mae Richardson and her neighbors. Working together, they saved their Pittsburgh neighborhood, convincing landlords, bankers, businesses and government officials to engage – and to halt – years of neglect and disinvestment.

As a financial empowerment coach and housing counselor primarily serving older adults, Keith Davis knew tax season would be different this year. To meet the challenge, Davis utilized the resources and information from his NeighborWorks online training to make key operational changes and address his clients' needs.

As the pandemic began, The Primavera Foundation, Inc., in Tucson, Arizona, worked with the city and Pima County to set aside hotel rooms for people experiencing homelessness who needed to quarantine because of exposure to COVID-19 or because they had symptoms. In recent months, staff partnered with Pima County Health Department and El Rio Federally Qualified Health Care Centers to reach out to residents, people living in shelters, and those awaiting housing.

A NeighborWorks America network organization in Ohio was able to help staff and East Akron residents with personal protective equipment (PPE), homeownership education and even groceries, thanks to a boost from NeighborWorks America and national banking partner Fifth Third Bank.

A number of NeighborWorks America network organizations help their clients with taxes, often via Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programs, which offer free tax preparation to anyone making $54,000 a year or less. They have it running like a well-oiled machine. They know who their volunteers are, where they're meeting the clients and how long preparation for each client will likely take.