Love Your Neighbor NOLA

The mission of our organization is to disrupt the cycle of community violence by being catalysts for family-centered change.

On November 27, 2018, Love Your Neighbor NOLA founder, Nadia Sanchez, experienced a life changing tragedy; she lost her mother during the commission of a carjacking in front of her home in Gentilly. Nadia's husband Kristian suffered a traumatic brain injury while attempting to stop the crime. In the wake of this tragedy, Nadia and her family underwent intensive therapy to process their experience. It was during this time that Nadia realized the impact community violence has on both victims and perpetrators. She began to think about how she could disrupt the cycle of violence, which typically starts with poverty, a lack of resources, and an absence of hope. 

From that experience, Love Your Neighbor NOLA was born, and since then, the Building Functional Families program was established. This cornerstone program focuses on community resilience through a multipronged approach, beginning with a recognition of the hierarchy of needs - physical needs must be met before mental and emotional needs can be addressed. This program provides tangible goods to families, including diapering necessities, as well as clothing, food, and hygiene products. In conjunction with physical goods, the program includes Community Resilience Workshops, where participants hear from mental health professionals about topics relevant to their lived experiences. By building relationships and creating a safe, consistent support system, Love Your Neighbor NOLA is creating a community of resilient parents.

Testimonials

"I was having a hard time buying food for my family because I only made enough money to cover my bills. Thank you to the volunteers and Love Your Neighbor NOLA for helping me finish my SNAP application and giving me formula, diapers, and groceries. The food helped me feed my family for the week." (A member of the BFF program)

"I thank God for Love Your Neighbor NOLA. God answered my prayer that my children would have Christmas and it's possible because of this organization." (Following the Community Christmas Party)

"All the kids loved the lunches and my sister had one too. I don't think you understand how much you are a big help! Thank you so much!" (After the summer lunch program)