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NeighborShare Partners with MassMutual Foundation to Bring Financial Stability to Springfield Residents

June 15th, 2023

Pilot program to provide vital needs including childcare, groceries, and transportation through MassMutual Foundation partners: New North Citizens’ Council, Way Finders, and United Way of Pioneer Valley

 

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – NeighborShare, a direct giving platform that helps neighbors with critical needs of $400 or less, is proud to announce its first-ever partnership with the MassMutual Foundation to launch an Adopt-Your-Backyard campaign which matches Springfield households in need with people who want to help.

Over the course of the six-month pilot, NeighborShare will work with three MassMutual Foundation partners - New North Citizens’ Council, Way Finders, and United Way of Pioneer Valley - as part of the Adopt-Your-Backyard campaign which will meet pivotal emergency needs of Springfield residents such as childcare costs, groceries, transportation, medical bills, and home repairs.

The latest data from the Federal Reserve’s annual Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED) revealed that one in three Americans cannot withstand an unexpected $400 emergency, such as a medical bill or car repair. NeighborShare provides a solution that fills this critical gap in the ecosystem by partnering with nonprofit organizations and their front-line employees – such as social workers, case workers, and financial coaches - to identify pivotal needs of $400 or less that would otherwise go unmet. Through NeighborShare, trusted nonprofits validate needs within the communities they serve which are then posted to the online platform where every day Americans can support a neighbor in need for as little as $10. Donors can give with confidence knowing their contributions will go directly to households with validated needs.

“We are so grateful to the MassMutual Foundation for bringing this critical resource to Springfield,” said Kelli Kreps, executive director of NeighborShare. “Just $400 is all it takes sometimes to keep a household on-track in a moment of acute need and prevent an avoidable crisis spiral. Through the MassMutual Foundation’s leadership, we’re taking a big swing at stabilizing these needs in Springfield, while creating opportunities for neighbors to lend a hand to one another - a community-building, “take care of one another” approach that really came to the forefront during the pandemic.”

“The key indicator of financial resilience used by the MassMutual Foundation is one’s ability to affordably cover a $400 financial emergency. Working with NeighborShare we are focused on increasing the percentage of Americans who can sustain these unexpected costs,” said Dennis Duquette, president of the MassMutual Foundation. “We know that more can be accomplished through collaboration and pooled resources, which is why we are proud to support the Adopt-Your-Backyard pilot program through our longtime partners New North Citizens’ Council, Way Finders, and the United Way of Pioneer Valley to help build financial resilience within our Springfield communities.”

To learn more or help a neighbor in need, visit nbshare.org.

 

About NeighborShare
NeighborShare is a nonprofit tech platform that connects people in need with people who want to help. We do this by partnering with community heroes at local nonprofits to identify pivotal needs that would otherwise go unmet and get resources directly to families when other options have run out. For nonprofit partners and their clients, we remove the red tape to accessing “just in time” resources that might otherwise create a crisis spiral in households across the country. For everyday citizens, we create an index of constantly updated, verified needs where people can easily and directly lend a hand to a real neighbor in need. Visit nbshare.org to help a neighbor today.

 

About the MassMutual Foundation
The MassMutual Foundation, Inc. is a dedicated corporate foundation established by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual). The MassMutual Foundation activates connections and untapped opportunities within communities, so that all families can build their financial capability and thrive. In support of this mission, the Foundation develops partnerships and provides grants in support of our signature programs. The Foundation also supports anchor institutions in the communities where MassMutual operates.