Chicago, Oct. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Association of REALTORS® announced the five winners of its 2026 Good Neighbor Awards today. Now in its 27th year, the program honors NAR members who make an extraordinary difference in their communities by giving their time, money, goodwill and expertise to help others.
The 2026 Good Neighbor Awards winners are as follows:
- Shawnee Doherty, Hope Through Hollis Foundation (Phoenix, Arizona)
- Sue Farrell, Boots to Suits (Richmond, Virginia)
- Weston Jenkins, Disabled Outdoorsmen USA (Boerne, Texas)
- Jay Miralles, 50 Mile March Foundation (Elkhorn, Nebraska)
- Teresa Renkenberger, Shower Power (Brandon, Mississippi)
Each of the five winners—selected by a multistage, criteria-based judging process—will receive a $10,000 grant and national media exposure for their charity.
“This year’s Good Neighbor Awards winners saw a need in their communities and refused to look away,” said NAR President Kevin Brown. “Each of them has built something lasting out of compassion and determination. Their work shows that REALTORS® do far more than help people find a home. They help build the communities around it, and we’re honored to celebrate them.”
More about each winner:
Shawnee Doherty – Hope Through Hollis Foundation
After her 7-year-old son, Hollis, died of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), an aggressive pediatric brain cancer, Shawnee Doherty and her husband founded Hope Through Hollis in his memory. She has since brought together a network of DIPG families and foundations that has raised nearly $2 million over the past decade for research at the Translational Genomics Research Institute in Phoenix, where researchers cared for Hollis. She also reaches out personally to families facing a new diagnosis and amplifies awareness through advocacy, outreach and public education. Watch Shawnee’s video.
Sue Farrell – Boots to Suits
After her husband, Joe, a former Navy submarine officer, died, Sue Farrell looked at his wardrobe of corporate suits and decided they deserved a second life. She founded Boots to Suits in 2014 to give veterans professional clothes for job interviews and post-military careers. At her Richmond shop, a stylist helps each client assemble at least two complete outfits, down to shoes, belts and ties, and volunteer tailors make alterations, including adjusting pant legs so they fall correctly over prosthetic limbs. The program has dressed 7,000 veterans across Florida, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia. Watch Sue’s video.
Weston Jenkins – Disabled Outdoorsmen USA
Weston Jenkins’ cousin TJ, who had Duchenne muscular dystrophy, outlived his life expectancy by nearly 20 years and credited the outdoors for it. After hunting alongside him, Jenkins founded Disabled Outdoorsmen USA in 2017 to give people with disabilities the equipment, logistics and funding to get outside, whether that means hunting, fishing, camping or Jeeping. He has since secured access to 28 private ranches across Texas, expanded the nonprofit to Utah, Minnesota, South Carolina and Alabama, and raised more than $2.5 million to send nearly 290 people on more than 190 trips. Watch Weston’s video.
Jay Miralles – 50 Mile March Foundation
After leaving the Air Force in 1998, Jay Miralles lost the sense of purpose that had defined his service and spent nearly a year homeless. He walked to cope. To mark his 50th birthday in 2020, six friends joined him for a 50-mile walk in 22 hours from Lincoln to Omaha, raising $25,000 for veteran causes. The 50 Mile March Foundation has since grown to 175 participants from 18 states and funded more than $800,000 in grants to veteran nonprofits. It also purchased seven acres in Bellevue, Nebraska, for the Community of Hope, a planned campus with transitional tiny homes, mental health and addiction recovery services and employment help for veterans. Watch Jay’s video.
Teresa Renkenberger – Shower Power
Teresa Renkenberger founded Shower Power, a weekly mobile hygiene program that has expanded into comprehensive support for people experiencing homelessness. Since 2019, her mobile truck, equipped with two full shower units, has served roughly 160 people every Friday in downtown Jackson. The program also provides hygiene kits, haircuts, clothing, food and pop-up medical clinics. Her leadership has helped thousands access essential services, reunite with family and restore dignity. Watch Teresa’s video.
In addition to the winners, the following finalists have been recognized as Good Neighbor Awards honorable mentions and will each receive $2,500 grants for their charity:
- Dylan de Bruin, Children’s HopeChest: Orphans of Teso (Ankeny, Iowa)
- Eustace Payne Jr., Massachusetts Community Outreach Initiative (Plymouth, Massachusetts)
- Cord Shiflet, Cordonate (Austin, Texas)
- Debbie Sonenshine, Backpack Buddies of Metro Atlanta (Sandy Springs, Georgia)
- Natasha Williams, Impactful Lives (Bohemia, New York)
NAR’s Good Neighbor Awards program is sponsored by Realtor.com®. The public was invited to vote for their favorite of the 10 finalists, and the top three vote-getters will receive additional donations for their charities. The following Good Neighbors have been named as this year’s Web Choice Favorites:
- Jay Miralles, who will receive an additional $2,500 bonus donation for 50 Mile March Foundation.
- Dylan de Bruin, who will receive an additional $1,250 bonus donation for Children’s HopeChest: Orphans of Teso.
- Eustace Payne Jr., who will receive an additional $1,250 bonus donation for Massachusetts Community Outreach Initiative.
“The Good Neighbor Awards celebrate the profound difference that dedicated individuals can make,” said Anna Marie Castiglioni, Head of Realtor.com Next. “We are genuinely inspired by the passion of this year’s winners and Web Choice Favorites, and we are proud to continue supporting the remarkable impact these REALTORS® make in their communities.”
About the National Association of REALTORS®
The National Association of REALTORS® is involved in all aspects of residential and commercial real estate. The term REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. For free consumer guides about navigating the homebuying and selling transaction processes—from written buyer agreements to negotiating compensation—visit facts.realtor.
About Realtor.com®
For over 30 years, Realtor.com® has connected buyers, sellers, and renters with trusted insights, professional guidance and powerful tools to help them find their perfect home. Recognized as the No. 1 real estate site REALTOR® agents recommend, Realtor.com® delivers consumer connections and a robust suite of marketing tools to support business growth.
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