By Tihut Tamrat, Contributing Writer
For over a century, the Neighborhood House Association (NHA) has been a cornerstone of community service, fostering unity, progress, and opportunity for all. On Saturday November 23rd, NHA hosted a wondrous celebration commemorating 110 years of its enduring impact on generations of families in San Diego. Hosted at the San Diego Convention Center on the blue carpet in the Sails Pavilion, the evening was full of laughter, communion, music, and lots of great food!
President and CEO of NHA, Rudy Johnson, who grew up with the Neighborhood House Association and participated in NHA’s Federal Head Start Program himself, shared with Voice & Viewpoint the future of NHA when approached on the blue carpet.
“The Neighborhood House Association is a settlement house. We run 28 programs through a continuum of care model that starts with services to pregnant women and Black infant health. The babies that we are serving today, 20-25 years from now we want to hire them into our workforce. And I’m living proof that it works.”
Next on the blue carpet, Meisha Sherman, Board Chair of NHA, gave Voice & Viewpoint her guidance for families who are in a situation where help is necessary.
“Connect with a great organization like Neighborhood House, take advantage of the services of the mentors, of the therapists, and get involved when you can, where you can, and do what you can. Just do that a little bit everyday,” Ms. Sherman said.
As the evening began, awards were given out to organizations and individuals who have been hidden gems and unsung heroes in the community.
The first award winner for Unsung Hero was San Diego HipHop 5K Health and Wellness, an organization focused on creating a surge of positive energy to encourage Southeastern San Diego residents of all generations to commit to living a lifestyle of fitness.
Carleton Overstreet Jr., President of San Diego Hip Hop 5K Health and Wellness, gave his advice for someone who is anticipating starting their health journey, “Take it one day at a time and when your mind is telling you not to do something that’s going to help you get healthier, push yourself.”
Other awardees included the Unsung Hero Award to Business for Good, an organization focused on Connecting San Diego’s business community to educate and advocate for equitable, inclusive, and sustainable policies; the Unsung Hero Award to Yasmina Vinci, Executive Director of National Head Start Association; the President’s Award to Jack McGory, community activist and San Diego public servant; Awards of recognition to Mark Cafferty and Peggy Cooper, Co-Chairs of the evening’s 110 year NHA celebration; and the City of San Diego Proclamation of Neighborhood House Day to Rudy Johnson III President and CEO of NHA. The night’s special Honoree Stedman Graham, best-selling author, educator, speaker and longtime supporter of NHA, gave his remarks about NHA shortly after.
“When I think of Neighborhood House, I think about D.H. Lawrence, a civil rightspoem called “Dreams”. He said that ‘All people dream, but not equally. Those who dream in the dusty recesses of their mind, they wake in the morning to find that it was vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous people, for they dream their dreams with open eyes, and they make them come true.’ That’s what Neighborhood House does, and has done, for 110 years.”
Before the conclusion of the night, Andra Day, Grammy-winning recording artist and actress of “The Deliverance” and “Billie Holiday” made a special appearance, singing the night away with her soulful tone and broad range.
Congratulations to the Neighborhood House Association on a Century of service to our community!
