San Diego CA— It’s time for neighbors helping neighbors—all September long. Father Joe’s Villages has lots of great ways to be a good neighbor during its second annual Good Neighbor Month this September. Sponsored by Wells Fargo, Good Neighbor Month activities include a variety of events to raise awareness about homelessness, encourage neighborly acts and provoke important dialogue around key homelessness issues.
“After the success of last year’s inaugural Good Neighbor Month, we are looking forward to another great opportunity to engage San Diegans with some unique ways to learn about the broad spectrum of homelessness issues, the meaning of neighbors and how to help,” said Deacon Jim F. Vargas, president and CEO of Father Joe’s Villages. “The variety and timing of our Good Neighbor Month activities and events make it easy, and sometimes even fun to help us end homelessness, one life at a time.”
Highlights in this year’s Good Neighbor Month include Good Neighbor Dialogue, the East Village Neighborhood Cleanup and Good Neighbor Super Saturdays, along with a challenge to encourage San Diegans to do good deeds for their friends and neighbors in need.

• Good Neighbor Dialogue, September 3
  Father Joe’s Villages will convene an expert panel to discuss the impacts of homelessness on the region. Moderated by retired KGTV anchor and “dean” of San Diego TV, Bill Griffith, this year’s event will focus on the border and the impacts of drug addiction and enforcement on homelessness in the bi-national region.
• Neighborhood Cleanup, September 19
  Father Joe’s Villages’ friends, partners and volunteers will lend a hand in removing trash from the streets of the East Village, in particular from the streets surrounding the St. Vincent de Paul Village campus.
• Good Neighbor Super Saturdays, every Saturday in September
  During Super Saturdays, Father Joe’s Villages’ thrift stores in El Cajon, Downtown, Chula Vista and Spring Valley will offer special discounted goods, along with refreshments, treats and giveaways in an effort to encourage both shopping and donations.
• Good Neighbor Challenge, all month along
  A challenge to San Diegans to conduct a kind gesture for a neighbor in need and offers each person who commits to the challenge a chance to win a prize in the process. Father Joe’s Villages asks San Diegans to take the challenge through the website to commit to being a good neighbor and share how they will do it—volunteer, donate clothes and goods, or any number of other acts. Many of their stories will be shared via social media throughout the month.

All proceeds from this month-long event will benefit the programs of Father Joe’s Villages.
For more information on Good Neighbor Month, please visit www.GoodNeighborMonthSD.org.