You might have noticed that we say “neighbors” a lot here at ioby, often interchangeably with “residents.” To us, “neighbors” means experts; it means the people who know their community best because they live in it, work in it, and play in it. They know how the block was, how it is now, and how it could be to better serve everyone in the neighborhood. They are our guiding stars and the people who shape what we do. After all, who better to turn to than the experts?

Today, we’re excited to announce that the work of all our expert change makers led up to something pretty big this month: with a median donation of just $35, 1,600 leaders rallied thousands of their friends, neighbors, and families to give over $5 million to community-led change since ioby got started.

That’s a pretty big number, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. It doesn’t count the money they leveraged through their projects, and it definitely doesn’t come close to accounting for the countless hours ioby leaders spent organizing, building community, and strengthening our neighborhoods.

To get the full picture of what $5 million means for community-led change, read about how Samaria Rice is honoring her son, Tamir Rice, and nurturing community by organizing the Tamir Rice Afrocentric Center. Read about how a group of neighbors installed their own solar powered street lights when their city repossessed over 1,000 streetlights in their community. Or read about how neighbors activated and advocated for the revitalization of a beloved park, building community power and agency along the way.

There are dozens of other stories on our blog that help tell the story of what $5 million means. As for us at ioby? We’re in awe of the commitment that leaders who fundraise on ioby have to positive change, and humbled by the trust our community has in us as partners in this work. There’s still much to do and far to travel, but we know some experts who are up to the task.

Cheers to the neighborhood!