Board Members
Welcome to The Good Neighbor Fund’s web page. We are a philanthropic organization at St Paraskevi that was established with the mission of providing financial support to individuals both within our own church community, as well as members of other churches and communities.
In order to be eligible for financial support from GNF, there are certain criteria that must be met. If an individual has been injured or disabled as a result of an accident, or is experiencing an illness that has made it difficult to provide for essential living expenses and/or basic medical care, we would take their case into consideration.
If you know of an individual or family in need of our support, please feel free to contact any of our board members by clicking on one of the names that are listed on the left hand menu.
Financial Aid application form: click here to download the form required to submit for consideration.
Donations: If you would like to make a donation to help support our mission, please make checks payable to: The Good Neighbor Fund of St. Paraskevi, 1 Shrine Place, Greenlawn, NY 11740.
Volunteers and new members: If you would like to help the Good Neighbor Fund in our mission, we invite you to participate in any of our events throughout the year. Please contact any board member for more information.
About The Good Neighbor Fund
How many times have we opened the paper and read about a single parent who has to care for a terminally ill child? Or a cancer patient in need for a bone marrow treatment that’s not covered by insurance? A family who lost its home in a devastating fire, and now has to live in a motel? Or a young injured war hero? We’ve seen the stories, and our conscience has called upon us to help, but we don’t always know what to do.
The Good Neighbor Fund was formed two years ago to serve as the collective conscience of St. Paraskevi, providing assistance to those experiencing difficult times, both in our parish as well as in our greater community. We work with local agencies and community leaders, often acting as a “bridge” toward financial or physical recovery, or as a catalyst that prompts other organizations and individuals to help. Largely through fundraising events, we’ve raised more than $30,000 and have helped individuals and families with an average financial contribution of about $800. This may not seem like a significant amount, but the impact of these gifts on the lives of the recipients has been enormous. We’d like to share some of their stories with you:
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A divorced mother of two, with multiple sclerosis, was overwhelmed with debt left by her husband. GNF helped by paying her heating oil, while the Family Service League provided financial planning to get her back on her feet.
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A Huntington couple was without health insurance, and the husband suffered a heart attack and couldn’t work. The wife was unemployed. GNF, along with the Family Service League and St. Hugh, contributed for rent and necessities until their request for Medicaid was approved.
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A young child in the Huntington school district couldn’t afford reading glasses, and his grades suffered as a result. The school’s social worker reached out to GNF, who purchased the glasses.
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A young mother with a rare form of leukemia needed special treatment in Philadelphia, but the family’s health insurance wouldn’t cover the costs. The family is under severe financial distress. GNF contributed to the purchase of secondary insurance to cover the procedure, while friends, family and the school planned fundraising events for the family.
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Many of you know Andreas, the young man in church each week with his parents. Andreas suffered a serious accident more than 10 years ago. His parents lovingly care for him, but paying rent and covering expenses has been a hardship. For years, a handful of parishioners had been contributing toward his expenses, and this was the inspiration for the Good Neighbor Fund. GNF has also helped with speech and swallowing therapy, and we have reached out to other churches and organizations to secure additional financial help for Andreas and his family.
These are just a few of the stories. There are countless others like these. The Good Neighbor Fund is committed to being there for them. And with your continued support, we will be. Thank you!
Fund raiser at RUVO
February 8th, 7pm