Today, Nextdoor (NYSE: KIND) revealed the winners of the Nextdoor 100, a nationwide celebration of the super amazing supportive, surprising, creative, compassionate, never-not-there-when-you-need them neighbors. Unlike other award programs, this “for neighbors, by neighbors” celebration shines a light on the people who make a difference in our everyday lives, but don't get the recognition they deserve. Over 46,000 entries poured in from city centers, suburbs, small towns and rural communities across America. While the stories are as varied as the individuals, the common theme was acts of kindness, big and small, that help create neighborhoods everyone can rely on. These first-ever Nextdoor 100 honorees include neighbors, small business owners and local organizations who are making a difference in their neighborhoods. Meet the inaugural Nextdoor 100 at www.thenextdoor100.com.
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The first-ever Nextdoor 100 winners have been revealed (Photo: Business Wire)
A celebrated panel of judges and advocates for kindness joined the Nextdoor 100, to select these local heroes and share their stories: GRAMMYⓇ award-winning recording artist and actor Tim McGraw; comedy icon, actor and philanthropist Cedric the Entertainer; Olympic gold medalist, FIFA Women’s World Cup champion, coach and broadcaster Brandi Chastain; founder of Operation: HOPE, John Hope Bryant; veteran journalist and founder of URL media, Mitra Kalita; author and Editor-in-chief of Woman’s Day, Meaghan Murphy; and President of News at Gannett Media and Publisher of USA TODAY, Maribel Perez Wadsworth.
“While the nominations themselves highlight astonishing acts of caring, generosity and kinship, the deep appreciation neighbors have for these super amazing neighbors is just as significant,” said Maryam Banikarim, Head of Marketing, Community and Global at Nextdoor. “At a time when we need kindness more than ever, the nominations revealed the impact a small act can have on those around us. We hope that the people and stories behind the Nextdoor 100 inspire us all to connect to our communities.”
The 100 winners were categorized by five traits that exemplify their contributions to their community, picked from many heart-felt submissions:
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Supportive: Living the adage “a friend in need is a friend indeed,” these honorees are at the ready with shelter, essentials, community building and kindness during difficult times.
Aharon Guttman, Valley Stream, NY | Nextdoor 100 Winner
"Aharon is a superstar. During the height of Covid, Aharon discovered a program that was sending stipends to frontline medical staff members and EMS workers and volunteers. He single-handedly helped sign up those first responders & other healthcare heroes who were busy tending to the most critical." - Nextdoor 100 Submission
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Surprising: Dropping off a delicious meal out of the blue, shoveling snow without being asked, these experts of the unexpected have kindness on their “to-do” list every day.
Jeff Williams of Taste Community Restaurant, Fort Worth, TX | Nextdoor 100 Winner
“Nowhere comes close to this awesome restaurant. They have the best food in town, but do not charge a cent. Yes, you can eat breakfast or lunch for free. It's a pay-what-you-can. They made the list of Top 100 in the entire STATE for good reason!” - Nextdoor 100 Submission
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Creative: Bringing color, drive, energy - and many holiday decorations – to their communities, these neighbors seek out new ways to bring joy to their environment, and create delightful opportunities to serve and connect their neighbors.
Nancy Zucker, West Bloomfield, MI | Nextdoor 100 Winner
"Nancy delivers messages of positivity and acknowledgement with the intention of spreading love. She has been passing out paper hearts with positive messages such as 'You are worthy of love' or 'Believe in yourself' for the last 10 years. She recently started the company Say It With Hearts so others can also spread a little inspiration." - Nextdoor 100 Submission
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Compassionate: These neighbors are caretakers in their communities, bringing their empathy, energy, and heart to serve those in need. From opening their doors to refugee families, to connecting the unhoused with resources and care, everyone in their community is a neighbor.
Lorri Brown, Lawrenceville, GA | Nextdoor 100 Winner
"While working full time, Lorri (and her husband Randy) spend 110% of their spare time helping others. Focused on veterans in need, they have rallied resources with goods, services, clothing,shelter, legal, medical and housing for folks in need. They fill the void left by government and NGO orgs." - Nextdoor 100 Submission
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Never-not-there-when-you-need them: The go-to for a last minute ride, help with a difficult chore, or a hand to hold on a difficult day, these winners show the strength and backbone of kindness, providing stability and support to all around them.
Ed Payne, Los Angeles, CA | Nextdoor 100 Winner
“Where do I start? He checks on his neighbors when they’re sick, puts out his neighbors’ trash cans, delivers food without being asked, and looks out for his neighbors’ wellbeing. He’s been known to help fix a plumbing problem, roof leak, or broken door knob, driven neighbors to doctor appointments and supported many youth program fundraisers. And if that’s not enough, he volunteers on the first Saturday of the month to help clean up Ladera. He gives genuinely, cares sincerely, and assists unselfishly.” - Nextdoor 100 Submission
From the tens of thousands of nominations received, Nextdoor uncovered interesting national and regional insights and data that points to what actions and efforts are most appreciated by neighbors.
INSIGHTS FROM THE NEXTDOOR 100 NOMINATIONS
- Nominations were received from every state across the United States; but the states delivering the most nominations were: California, Florida, Texas, North Carolina and Georgia.
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Nominators described the same kindness among neighbors, small businesses and organizations, all of which create opportunities for the neighborhood to come together:
- 34% of nominations mentioned at least one of these traits as a descriptor for their neighbor: Kind, considerate, compassionate, amazing.
- 28 of the final 100 winners represent a beloved local business or organization that supports its neighbors.
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Acts of kindness spanned simple but meaningful gestures like shoveling snow or mowing a yard to actually saving a life:
- Some “good in an emergency” neighbors rescued people from burning buildings, donated kidneys to nearby acquaintances, and performed life-saving CPR in the face of a sudden heart attack.
- Other “always there when I need them” neighbors didn't wait to be asked, they just shoveled the driveway, or delivered bagels to those who couldn't get out.
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Major themes across entries included: caretaking of pets and local wildlife, providing essentials during severe weather, and appreciation for gifts of meals and food.
- Animal appreciation over-indexed in nominations across five states: references to animals in New Mexico were 83% higher than the national average, followed by Idaho (73% higher); West Virginia (63% higher); Washington, DC (63% higher) and Wyoming (44% higher).
- Help during storms resonated with 39% of neighbors in Wyoming who were particularly thankful. Other states showing gratitude for weather-related support included North Dakota (33%), Alaska (32%), Iowa (30%) and Nebraska (26%).
- “Food is love” was reinforced with 14% of nominations across the nation mentioning food in some way - providing, serving, growing food.
Preceding today's reveal, the Nextdoor 100 hosted in-real-life block parties in Atlanta, Indianapolis, and Sacramento on May 22nd, to bring the “for neighbors, by neighbors” celebration to cities across the country. Submissions are open now to nominate your neighborhood for a block party event in September, in honor of Neighbor Month. Visit www.thenextdoor100.com.
To learn more about the Nextdoor 100, the winners and the judges panel for this program, visit www.thenextdoor100.com, and follow on Nextdoor, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter.
For additional Nextdoor 100 assets, visit https://bit.ly/3sPyjON
About Nextdoor
Nextdoor (NYSE: KIND) is where you connect to the neighborhoods that matter to you so you can belong. Kindness is core to our purpose: to cultivate a kinder world where everyone has a neighborhood they can rely on. Neighbors around the world turn to Nextdoor daily to receive trusted information, give and get help, get things done, and build real-world connections with those nearby — neighbors, businesses, and public services.
We believe connecting with others is a universal human need. That truth, and the reality that neighborhoods are among the most important communities in our lives, have been guiding principles for Nextdoor since the beginning.
Today, neighbors rely on Nextdoor in more than 290,000 neighborhoods around the world, including the United States (nearly 1 in 3 U.S. households), the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, and Canada, with many more to come.
Nextdoor is based in San Francisco. For additional information and images: nextdoor.com/newsroom.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220523005207/en/
Contacts
Nextdoor Media Relations:
David Roady
Dana Whitney
press@nextdoor.com
