Heartbreak can change a life. Sometimes, it can inspire someone to change countless others’ lives.
That was the powerful message Saturday night at NAR NXT in New Orleans, where, in an emotional celebration, the 2026 Good Neighbor Awards honorees, their families and guests gathered for the premiere of five mini-documentaries showcasing the REALTOR® members who have turned hardship, conviction and personal experiences of into extraordinary acts of service.
The films introduced Shawnee Doherty of Phoenix, who transformed the devastating loss of her young son to brain cancer into a mission to fund research and give other families hope by founding the Hope Through Hollis Foundation.
Attendees also met a Richmond, Va.-based Sue Farrell, honoring her late husband, a former Navy officer, by founding Boots to Suits to help service members transitioning into civilian life dress for new careers.
Jay Miralles from Elkhorn, Neb., a U.S. Air Force veteran who once struggled with homelessness, founded the 50 Mile March Foundation to support veterans facing homelessness and mental health. Miralles was also the top vote-getter, winning won the 2026 Good Neighbor Awards Web Choice Favorite, which provided him with an additional $2,500 grant for his nonprofit.
Inspired by his cousin TJ, who lived with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Weston Jenkins a 2023 REALTOR® News 30 Under 30 honoree from Boerne, Texas, founded Disabled Outdoorsmen USA, making outdoor adventures accessible to people with disabilities.
And Brandon, Miss., REALTOR® member, Teresa Renkenberger, created a mobile shower program after learning that a man experiencing homelessness hadn't showered in a year. She outfitted a box truck with showers and began offering them free every Friday. Shower Power has since grown beyond showers to provide food, clothing, shelter and other services to people, offers dignity and compassion to people experiencing homelessness.
Each winner received a $10,000 grant sponsored by Realtor.com, as well as national media exposure for their charity.
The program also acknowledged the following five finalists who will each receive $2,500 grants for their charities: Dylan de Bruin, Children’s HopeChest: Orphans of Teso (Ankeny, Iowa); Eustace Payne Jr., Massachusetts Community Outreach Initiative (Plymouth, Mass.); Cord Shiflet, Cordonate (Austin, Texas); Debbie Sonenshine, Backpack Buddies of Metro Atlanta (Sandy Springs, Ga.); Natasha Williams, Impactful Lives (Bohemia, N.Y.).
Through moments of grief, joy and remarkable resilience, the documentaries illustrated the deeply personal motivations behind the honorees' work. NAR President-elect Christine Hansen reminded attendees that meaningful change often begins when someone sees a need and decides to act. The evening also celebrated 26 years of the Good Neighbor Awards and the REALTOR® members whose service has strengthened communities across the country.
Ron Phipps, a 2001 Good Neighbor Award honorable mention and 2010 NAR president, captured the spirit of the evening as he welcomed the newest class of winners. “You fill our hearts with proof that why we were born is to make a difference in other people's lives.”
