Just Neighbors is a nine-session program of video, role-playing, and educational exercises that provide information about poverty and homelessness. Combining basic information with experiential learning leads to a concrete result: action. . . . Congregations wanting to develop or reinvigorate their public ministry, particularly those with interest in housing and poverty issues, will find this a helpful resource.

Every once in a while, the Presbyterian Hunger Program comes across a resource that is so useful, we want to make sure that every presbytery has a copy.  Just Neighbors is that kind of resource - exactly the kind of education we need at a time when people are hungry, homeless, and impoverished in the U. S. and abroad.  Just Neighbors educates congregations and groups that are trying to gain a broader understanding of the root causes of poverty and homelessness in our country.  And Just Neighbors does this in a way that is uniquely interactive and engaging.

Just Neighbors is professionally done with high-quality graphics, videos, and print materials.  I was impressed by the accessibility of the program; it is thorough, easy to understand, and explained in a detailed step-by-step manner that allows leaders of church programs to use it without previous training.  I highly recommend Just Neighbors.

For congregations that have minimal contact with families in poverty or the homeless, Just Neighbors is an excellent resource for introducing adults and youth to the plight of the poor.  Each session is designed for ease of use as well as for highly effective education.  I recommend this resource for every Social Ministry committee as a way of raising awareness and support in their congregation for the needs of the often neglected in our communities.

Just Neighbors was perfect for our Wednesday night adult study session.  We're a congregation with an active schedule of outreach and many members anxious to learn how they can do more.  We found the program to be expertly planned.  Each session is similarly structured but with its own distinct focus.  The professional lesson plans make it very easy for facilitators to make a very compelling presentation with an hour's prep time. It was gratifying to see folks really open their minds - and hearts - to better understand the daily life challenges many of our neighbors face.

As a pastor, I have never encountered a program like Just Neighbors.  It is unique because it introduces us to a face of homelessness that is different from what we are used to.  The series documents a cross-section of families from rural to city dwellers, two parent families to single moms.  Most are working and struggling with the same economic issues and choices that we all face.  Their stories are compelling because they are "just like us."  Their stories could be our stories.

When a church is addressing basic needs, we can get into a routine.  We don't take the time to ask the important questions: "Why are things this way?"  "What more could we do?"  Just Neighbors really gets that conversation going.  Just Neighbors gives a real sense of how poverty makes people feel and what living in poverty is like.  But you don't feel stuck.  Just Neighbors is hopeful because it really motivates us to do something.

As a rabbi, I see Just Neighbors as a resource that is designed sensitively to spark spiritual reflection for people of many faiths.  As a teen educator, I appreciate the balance Just Neighbors strikes between providing information and helping people come to grips with what they are learning.  For teenagers, the beautifully produced materials translate into credibility.  The activities and simulations help make everything real and concrete for teens, who want to see the evidence for the ideas you hope they will take seriously.

Almost every person of faith knows the scriptural mandate to care for those in need.  But knowing how to respond to poverty is not so easy.  Just Neighbors is an excellent tool to educate congregations about the systemic causes of poverty and the struggles of those in need.  Even more importantly, it motivates people to act.  I highly recommend this well-produced, thought-provoking curriculum.

As a pastor I'm constantly looking for effective ways to educate and motivate people in the church around the issue of poverty. Just Neighbors accomplishes this better than any other resource I've come across in my fifteen years of ministry. The fact that the ToolKit is interactive and informative with each session related directly to scripture makes it the perfect congregational resource.

The video was so realistic and gave a true feeling for what the families go through as they make decisions just to survive.  The quiz was a real eye opener.  No one could believe that in 49 states it costs more to send a child to day care than to send the child to a public college!  We have spent a lot of time talking about the costs of day care and the trade offs that are made in order to make enough to get by.  We were surprised by how difficult it was to balance the family's budget and none of the groups were able to set aside any money for anything fun!  Our classes are realizing that there are systemic issues and roadblocks that are preventing many working families from making ends meet.

The Just Neighbors ToolKit offers a balance of statistical data, human interest, and interactive activities.  The facts and figures and suggested readings provide useful information for a beginner seeking information or for an experienced researcher.  As a facilitator or participant, it is impossible to not learn something by the end of an interactive session.  Just Neighbors puts a face on poverty and communicates a message of hope for change.

I've used the Just Neighbors program in various settings - during coordinator meetings, basic orientation for volunteers, at universities for social action forums, and congregations.  Each time I've used the program, people have come up to me afterwards and told me that they were really impressed with it - the videos, facts, interactive aspects.  The program is set up so that it can touch on deeper topics, yet move fast enough to keep people focused.  Having interactive tools helps greatly ? especially when they are so cleverly developed.  The videos are fantastic!

Just Neighbors is a fabulous educational tool that can expand the depth and breadth of every IHN program.  The programs are well designed and scripted, and very easy to lead.  The workshops are appropriate and interesting for someone new to these issues, and also for a sophisticated, knowledgeable audience. Something new and important has come out of every workshop.