Domestic Violence Awareness Month

There is so much to say about 2026 SF Good Neighbor Week, I haven't known where to start. 🫠🫠🫠 Before October ends, I have to say something about Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 💜 💜 💜

One year ago ⌛, our team was in a rebranding/ renaming meeting for Good Neighbor Lab, after the successful launch 🚀 of the first SF Good Neighbor Week. It was a whirlwind to go from our roots in civic tech, to being invited to national conferences on the loneliness epidemic. Though we were celebrating, I annoyed everyone because I felt that something was missing. Yes, it's fun to meet our neighbors 👯, but I pushed for more impact. We updated the website and wrote a stretch goal: "Reaching San Francisco neighbors who face the most social isolation: A specific focus is supporting SF residents who are experiencing domestic violence."

Publishing that goal quietly placed me on a meaningful journey 👣. I started reaching out to local organizations such as the SF Domestic Violence Consortium and getting to know local women's shelters. I got to know residents who do the work of supporting our vulnerable neighbors in times of crisis. 💔 I told them about this powerful groundswell I stumbled onto with SF Good Neighbor Week. I asked if there's any way this holiday could be helpful. If so, maybe we could explore the tiniest partnership in 2026, that could perhaps grow into something bigger in 2027 and beyond.

Yes we were on the jumbotron during the San Francisco Giants game. Yes we partnered with the Golden State Warriors and Golden State Valkyries (Go Valks!). But the partner I'm most deeply proud to have collaborated with this year is St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco, an organization that provides shelter and services for survivors of domestic violence. We did the simplest thing: brought their donation barrels to neighborhood block parties. 👗 👖 And guess what? San Francisco residents FILLED. THOSE. BABIES. UP. 🎁 This photo shows one thank you letter they sent me after I dropped off ONE car load of clothing donations after one block party (shoutout to the wonderful residents in Monterey Heights neighborhood, who have their annual Block Party and Good Neighbor Awards during SF Good Neighbor Week). I learned that the location of some women's shelters is confidential, so when you donate to a city-wide shelter, you could be donating to your neighbor.

As a woman in San Francisco, working on SF Good Neighbor Week while reading about sexual assault and domestic violence in the news hasn't been easy. The murder of SFPD Deputy Chief Ann Mannix by her husband hit especially hard for many residents who knew and loved her. Can a holiday that celebrates neighboring do anything about it?

Being able to connect neighbors, support local orgs, and make even the tiniest difference makes me proud of how much Good Neighbor Lab has done in one year.

2027 SF Good Neighbor Week is Sep 25- Oct 3, and October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. What can we do together?