NeighborWorks organizations have spent the past few weeks drafting new policies and communications in the wake of the COVID-19 virus and figuring out ways to share them quickly with their staff, their community, other agencies and one another.

As COVID-19 continues to spread, NeighborWorks network organizations continue to connect with community members and to take measures to try to ensure their safety. Here's a look at what organizations are doing in Vermont and Missouri.

Neighborhood. Porch. Living room. That's where James Clark, head of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area De-escalation Center, says we must go to talk about gun violence within communities. And that's where his outreach workers have been going for the past two and a half years. 

The black community is facing an internal crisis, Clark says. "African-Americans have to look at the fact that African-Americans kill African-Americans every day in every major city. We can't ignore that. Not to address it is passing it on to future generations." 

Housing is on everyone's lips, says Sheila Rice, who just completed a term as interim executive vice president and chief operating officer for NeighborWorks America. She expects the trend to continue through 2020. 

For starters, the health-care industry is highlighting housing, Rice says, pointing to a quote that is everywhere from the Champlain Housing Trust to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: "Housing is health care." 

As we begin a new year — and a new decade — NeighborWorks America's network organizations are hard at work, doing what they do best. Some are exploring on new partnerships. Some are focusing on matching residents with new homes, with workforce training and with resources for staying sober or aging in place. Network leaders say they're finding inspiration in last year. And the lessons they've learned are serving as a roadmap for the year ahead.

Say "homeless" and most people easily conjure up urban images. In rural communities, homelessness is just as real, but often invisible. That's why 118 NeighborWorks network organizations use innovative approaches to address the challenges of helping their neighbors not only find homes, but stay in them. And because every community is different, every agency's approach is designed to be appropriate for the population it serves.

As we enter a new year, NeighborWorks America's network organizations examine the lessons they're carrying with them from 2019. Last time, we heard about a community project and the art of the ask. Today, regional representatives talk about forming partnerships, tiny houses, competing for new hires and the challenges of NOAH projects. 

This year has been full of projects for NeighborWorks America's network organizations: new homes, refurbished buildings and community gatherings, just for starters. With each project, there are new things to learn and adjustments to make. NeighborWorks spoke with representatives from across the country to learn some of their takeaways from 2019. Today, we're sharing lessons from the Southern Region and the Midwest.

This year has been full of projects for NeighborWorks America's network organizations: new homes, refurbished buildings and community gatherings, just for starters. With each project, there are new things to learn and adjustments to make. NeighborWorks spoke with representatives from across the country to learn some of their takeaways from 2019. Today, we're sharing lessons from the Southern Region and the Midwest.