When people tell the story of America, they often talk about national leaders, historical events and major milestones. 

But America's story has always been written closer to home. 

Nearly 200 NeighborWorks® network organizations celebrated NeighborWorks Weeks this year with activities, groundbreakings, block parties and more. Below, please find stories and snapshots from some of the gatherings, with more to come.

Building a community for seniors in Las Vegas

Nevada HAND, a NeighborWorks network organization in Las Vegas, Nevada, broke ground last week – NeighborWorks Week – on its largest development for older Americans to date. 

At the Housing Our Relatives Summit last month in Anchorage, Alaska, participants did more than attend panels and presentations. They rolled up their sleeves, shared lived experiences and worked together to develop practical strategies for advancing Native-led housing and economic development solutions. 

NeighborWorks® America honored the legacy of three Midwest network organizations Monday night during a reception that capped off the first full day of the NeighborWorks Training Institute. The organizations, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, Hispanic Housing Development Corp., and South Bend Heritage, were celebrating 50 years of impact in the greater Chicago area.

Along with taking classes and making connections, residents attending the NeighborWorks Community Leadership Institute have a chance to learn about the city they visit, and to see local community development in action. 

What should you do if you unearth several tons of broken milk bottles filled with toxic substances during a development project? Call Ann Houston. 

This week, NeighborWorks America welcomed more than 1,200 community development practitioners from across the country to the NeighborWorks Training Institute, the premier professional learning event for community development and affordable housing professionals in the country. The event was held in Philadelphia, known as the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection. 

In 2024, NeighborWorks Capital launched a new lending program to deploy low-cost, long-term capital to NeighborWorks network organizations to empower them to expand their homeownership initiatives in communities across the country. Wells Fargo provided $8.5 million for the launch of this program, and network organizations were selected for funding through a competitive invitation-only application process.