Good Neighbor Community Services

Love a Teacher Program

gncs — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 15:54:48 +0000

National Client Services has partnered with Richmond Public Schools in a social media campaign to give their teachers a shout out to provide them more recognition. Here’s the link to the Education Alert on the “Love a Teacher” campaign.

Group-homes plan in Hanover

gncs — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 19:54:06 +0000

Hanover County will negotiate with Good Neighbor Homes to establish a public-private partnership to operate the county’s three homes for people with developmental disabilities.

The Board of Supervisors unanimously endorsed the choice Wednesday to end a year of concern among families and advocates of the 12 clients who currently live in the county-operated facilities.

The county had proposed the change last year to address budget shortfalls but backed away after protests. The county budgeted $100,000 from its reserves to keep the homes operating for another year but asked for a study of the public-private arrangement.

Best of the Tri-cities Award Winners

gncs — Tue, 04 May 2010 16:41:19 +0000

We received first place in the Best of The Tri-Cities for Counseling.

Groups join forces to help children in Tri-Cities

gncs — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:20:48 +0000

Good Neighbor Counseling provides in-home counseling services to children in trouble with the courts or schools.

The James Farrior Foundation, based in Ettrick, helps underprivileged youth overcome adversity and obstacles in everyday life.

The two organizations are joining forces to make a difference in the lives of kids in the Tri-Cities area. The children referred to Good Neighbor also will receive mentoring from the foundation as part of the new partnership.

“We’re here to help keep these kids involved,” foundation co-founder Matt Farrior said in a statement. “I know that some of these kids have not had the same opportunities as other kids.”

Farrior helped establish the foundation in 2007 with his brother, Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro linebacker James Farrior.

The foundation gives children the opportunity to participate in enrichment programs and meet with Steelers players as well as professional athletes who grew up in the Tri-Cities region.

James Farrior was an athletic standout at Matoaca High School in Chesterfield County and the University of Virginia. The key lesson is showing the children that they can escape the negative influences that may surround them — violence, drugs and gang activity.

“We want to show kids that there are other ways of life,” said Artie Haraway, clinical care coordinator with Good Neighbor Counseling.

Good Neighbor, which is based in Colonial Heights, has contracts with Petersburg, Hopewell, Colonial Heights and Richmond cities, and Dinwiddie County.

The group’s focus is intensive in-home counseling — going into the home to provide counseling for the child and their parents.

“A lot of Medicaid dollars go towards programs like this now,” as opposed to taking children out of a home and putting them in a residential setting, Haraway said.

The foundation offers a Celebrity Weekend and football camp in May, where the kids in the counseling program will be able to meet and learn from professional athletes.

“It’s giving kids goals, structure and mentoring services throughout their school year,” Haraway said.