Nueva Esperanza Accompaniment Teams (NEAT)

Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity’s Nueva Esperanza Accompaniment Team (NEAT) program trains San Francisco Bay Area congregations to form a team to walk alongside recently arrived immigrants for six months. The teams support the immigrants’ self-sufficiency by introducing them to local resources. By working toward families’ goals together, we create sanctuary, safety, and friendship in the community. 

We are creating beloved community. Since 2015, we have accompanied over 120 people from all over the world. We accompany recently arrived immigrants of all immigration statuses, sexual orientations, and gender identities. We have accompanied people from Cuba, Haiti, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Eritrea, Egypt, Mongolia, Philippines, Afghanistan, Brazil, Laos, Honduras, Nicaragua, Cambodia, Guatemala, Mexico, El Salvador, Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, Russia, Ukraine, Fiji, Vietnam. All are welcome here.

• To learn more about families and congregations who have accompanied them, read our NEAT Stories or watch our video: “From Root Causes to Sanctuary”. Also check out this SFIC video to hear what you can do in San Francisco to support newcomers.
• If you are interested in participating in NEAT, you can form a team through your congregation! Please review our introductory materials to get started.  
• Individuals, congregations, and organizations can also partner with NEAT by offering:
  • Hosted Housing – Host a family in your home, in-law unit, or apartment building for free or reduced cost for 3-6 months.  Watch our Hosted Housing Intro video to learn more about our hosted housing partnership with New Anchor 
  • Sponsorship: Sponsor a family at the border so they can be released from detention and start their lives.  See our Sponsorship FAQ 
  • I-134A Supporters: You can help us reunite NEAT families with their loved ones by becoming an I-134A Supporter. This new government pathway allows us to bring Venezuelans, Cubans, Nicaraguans, and Haitians to the United States in a simple and clear-cut way, so they can reunite with their loved ones. Click here to learn more
  • Strengthen accompaniment in your region: If you live outside the San Francisco Bay Area, IM4HI can provide consultation and training to organizations or congregations interested in strengthening their own capacity to provide accompaniment.  Please fill out our Accompaniment Training Interest form if you live outside the San Francisco Bay Area and would like to be trained in our accompaniment model

Questions? Comments? Ready to start? Contact our NEAT Coordinator, Kelly Younger: kyounger@im4humanintegrity.org