When her husband got a job offer in Portland seven years ago, it was a difficult choice for Nermeen Elzaghal and her family. It meant leaving everything behind. In Egypt, they were surrounded by family and a complete support network. The job offer was a good one, however, so they moved to Portland with their young son, Yaseen.

At the time, Nermeen spoke limited English, didn’t know how to drive, and wasn’t able to use her degree in Family Services. So she and son Yaseen stayed inside most of the day, watching TV and crying from homesickness.

Her husband, Seif, heard about Head Start program for Yaseen, and figured it would be good for him to start school early and learn English. It ended up making all the difference. According to Nermeen, “it changed my life.”

Normally a soft-spoken person, Nermeen gets animated when she lists all the ways Head Start changed circumstances for their whole family. “It wasn’t healthy for Yaseen to be inside all day,” Nermeen said. “He missed our family as much as I did and kept asking when we could return to Egypt.” In the Head Start program, Yaseen started to learn English, make friends and thrive in the new environment.

Head Start staff were “nice and welcoming, which made the transition easier,” she said. “I started making friends with other parents, people from around the world. They gave me information on places to go, we exchanged information, our kids played together.”

Soon, Nermeen was volunteering in the program, translating for families to help them to find services to help with food, education and housing. With her own background as an immigrant, Nermeen can relate to what many people new to Portland experience. “Some families don’t want to ask for help,” she said. “But I tell them it’s okay.”

Now Yaseen is 8 and thriving in second grade. Younger daughter Sara, 5, is also enrolled in Head Start. Sara has had a much easier time of it since she was born in Portland, the only home she has known.

When a staff position opened up, the Head Start staff encouraged Nermeen to apply since her education and background made her perfect for the role. Now Nermeen serves as a Head Start Family Advocate, enrolling other families in Head Start, doing home visits, helping find food, clothing or any other help they might need.

Having her children in the Head Start program allowed Nermeen to study English at Portland Community College, where she hopes to finish her degree soon. Neighborhood House also offered her flexible hours once she joined the staff so she could take the required training classes and continue her degree plan. “They’ve been very supportive of helping me achieve my degree,” Nermeen said.

I started using the Free Food Market. I learned about more programs that could help us. But the biggest change wasn’t the services themselves.

It was how I was treated. 

For the first time in my entire life, I was met with dignity. 

I wasn’t talked down to. I wasn’t made to feel ashamed for needing help. I wasn’t forced to “prove” I deserved to survive. At Neighborhood House, people spoke to me with genuine respect, something I have so often not been given, simply due to my circumstances. That changed everything. Even now, it still brings tears to my eyes. 

When you’re disabled, when you’re parenting alone, when you’re just trying to get through the day without falling apart…asking for help is hard. Being treated with kindness backed by action? It’s life-changing. 

That kindness empowered me. 
I joined the Head Start Policy Council. 
I became involved in statewide advocacy work. 
And eventually, when someone asked if I would consider joining the Neighborhood House Board, I said yes. 

Being on the board fills a need I’ve carried my whole life: the deep need to give back. There is so little any one person can do alone. But when we connect, when we come together as a community, everything becomes possible. 

People sometimes ask me why services like Neighborhood House still matter. 

My answer is simple: 

Because income inequality is growing. 
Because our systems do not prioritize people in poverty. 
Because without places like Neighborhood House, people really would go hungry. Children would go without resources necessary to thrive. Housing insecure families would be turned out into the streets. 
And that is simply not acceptable.

Until we change the systems that create these conditions in the first place, we need community-based organizations that keep people alive, keep families housed, and treat every neighbor with dignity.

And there’s one more thing I want you to know:

No one chooses this. 

Everyone is doing the best they can. 
Sometimes people just need a little boost.

When you donate or volunteer at Neighborhood House, it is truly life changing. You may never meet every person you help—but please know there are so many of us who feel overwhelmed with gratitude because these services exist.

I am one of them.

So today, as we close out the year, I’m asking you to help more neighbors like me.

Here’s how you can help right now: 

  • Make a gift today — your support goes directly to families who need it most.
  • Start a food dr​ive — our Food Security Program is a lifeline and always needs support. 
  • Share my letter with a friend who believes in a more just and caring community.

Thank you for believing in this work.

Thank you for believing in people like me. 

With gratitude,

Love 
Board Member & Program Participant 
Neighborhood House 

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