History
The initial spark for Good Neighbors Capitol Hill was lit in Germany during a tour by the choir of the Lutheran Church of the Reformation. It was 2015 and refugees were pouring into Germany and other European countries. Kathy Tobias and Dale Manty observed the important role that churches were playing in welcoming the refugees and wondered if something similar could happen back home. Simultaneously members of the faith communities on Capitol Hill, and indeed throughout the United States, were discussing whether they could help meet the pressing needs of the refugee population coming to the United States. Working both through organizational leadership structures and word of mouth across friends and neighbors on Capitol Hill and elsewhere in DC, in 2016 members of eight faith-based communities formed a partnership with Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area, to help welcome newly arriving refugees to the Capital area. The faith communities that were part of the original collaboration included:
- Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church
- Capitol Hill United Methodist Church
- Christ Church+Washington Parish
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints+Capitol Hill Ward
- Hill Havurah
- Lutheran Church of the Reformation
- St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
- St. Pater’s Catholic Church
We are so thankful for the past and current support of the congregations and their members, as well as the support of many nonaffiliated members of the community. We are especially grateful to the Capitol Hill United Methodist Church who provided GNCH with a substantial initial donation enabling the sponsorship of our first Afghan family and to the Lutheran Church of the Reformation for serving as the fiscal agent for these past 10 years. The faithful support of the Capitol Hill faith communities has made it possible for GNCH to grow and transition to its new status as a stand-alone nonprofit.
