When he was first informed he’d been selected by NeighborWorks America for its Dorothy Richardson Award for Resident Leadership, 65-year-old Johnny Carter from rural Moorhead, Mississippi, was shocked. “I’ve never been in a leadership position,” he said.

The Gulf Coast Veterinary Emergency Hospital's mission is to provide outstanding after-hours care for people's pets. But the organization's role as caregiver extends beyond the dogs and cats it treats. With the support of a local business development partner, the vet is helping her employees and area residents achieve financial stability as well.

For many families, the prospect of buying their first home is a daunting but exciting process. They look forward to exploring neighborhoods, visiting prospective homes and eventually finding the one that's the perfect fit for them. For Ian and Sarah Kennedy, however, buying a home wasn't exciting as much as it was stressful and seemingly impossible.

After a fire ignited in Evera Moreland's house, she was in danger of becoming homeless. But thanks to assistance from NeighborWorks network member HomeStart, which serves Rockford and Freeport, Illinois, Moreland was able to stay in the home she has owned for years.

Billie Dean and Jerry Stewart have been active in their Decatur, Alabama, community for decades. She ran her own daycare service for more than 35 years and is a volunteer with Community Action Partnership of North Alabama's foster-grandparent program. He is retired from the city of Decatur and is disabled.

Do taxes early. It's one of the most common resolutions made in every new year. There are all sorts of reasons for filing tax forms early, but doing so can be particularly important for low- and moderate-income families who may not be aware of available credits that could put more money in their pockets.

In Aberdeen, Washington, NeighborWorks of Grays Harbor County is located 100 miles from Seattle, where several wild and scenic rivers converge into the bay and flow into the Pacific Ocean. Despite being the closest port to Asia, this rural community also is an economically depressed area, with an aging housing stock mostly dependent on electric heating.