Mentorship
Welcoming our new neighbors by matching refugee and immigrant families with caring neighbors to guide and support them in their new lives.
To meet the urgency of this moment, we are now matching families on a rolling basis.
Mentors and mentees meet 2-4 times each month during the 6 month program, for an average of 10 hours each month.
Many stay active long after the initial time commitment, developing into lifelong friendships. We also host events to give families the opportunity to connect, make friends, and explore Pittsburgh together.
Our matches have spent more than 12,000 hours together, building deep and supportive bonds and helping our new neighbors reach their dreams.
Hello Neighbor was founded with Mentorship at our core because we believe that one-on-one relationships are key to creating a welcoming community and a better country.
Mentors are strategically matched with refugee and newly arrived immigrant families and individuals based on a variety of factors including geographic proximity, family composition, availability, and interest areas. Mentor and mentee matches decide what they want to do together, with activities ranging from playing at the local park, to attending Hello Neighbor events, to helping mentee families read mail and teaching them to write a check.
Mentors receive training on refugee and immigrant issues, and guided support throughout the program.
Our program orientation includes an up-to-date workbook full of resources and tools that help mentors confidently connect with and help their mentee families. Dedicated program staff are available to help navigate challenges, answer questions, and offer advice.
Refugee and immigrant families involved in our program report feeling more confident and having an increased sense of belonging. By spending just a few hours a couple times a month you can meet your new neighbors, help them achieve success in this new chapter of their lives and transform Pittsburgh into a more welcoming city for all.
Have questions about mentoring?
Ready to become a mentor?
As of 2025, we are accepting applications and making matches on a rolling basis.
Language Access
Ensuring equal access to services for all refugees and immigrants, regardless of English proficiency or native language.
Interpretation
Language Justice is Social Justice.
Did you know that all agencies receiving federal funding are obligated to provide language access under the 1964 Civil Rights Act? Language access staff advocate for Hello Neighbor clients’ access to interpretation in medical appointments, police encounters, family-school communications, local government, and more.
Over 19 Languages Available
Our network of in-house interpreters ensure that all clients have full access to programs and services at Hello Neighbor. Interpreters are valuable members of our team, attending meetings with clients and staff and translating documents. We are committed to investing financially in communities we serve, aiming to hire interpreters who are themselves immigrants or refugees.
Languages spoken by our interpreters include:
- Afar
- Arabic
- Arabic (Sudanese)
- Azeri
- Dari
- Dinka
- Farsi
- French
- Hindi
- Kinyarwanda
- Nepali
- Nuer
- Pashto
- Pojulo
- Russian
- Somali
- Spanish
- Swahili
- Tigrinya
- Turkish
- Ukrainian