Northland’s ‘Good Neighbor’ Program Celebrates First In-Person Gathering Since Its Inception at the Start of the Covid-19 Pandemic

McCarthy Tracy notes challenges, collaboration, and accomplishments for ‘Good Neighbor’ partners.

Maureen McCarthy Tracy, vice president of community and connections at Northland Communications, a Central New York-based telecommunications provider, gathered the company’s ‘Good Neighbor’ community partners for the first time in-person since the group’s inception during the start of the Covid-19 Pandemic over two years ago. The group enjoyed a luncheon at NBT Bank Stadium where they were able to network and collaborate with each other while reflecting on the past couple of years.

Northland Communications initially planned a single campaign that would culminate with an event to benefit local non-profit organizations—Good Neighbor Day—on June 29, 2020, which would have been the 89^th birthday of Jerry McCarthy, the founder of Northland Communications, and father to Maureen, vice president of community and connections, and Jim, president of Northland Communications. The idea was to honor the third-generation family business patriarch’s legacy and passion for helping our community while supporting staple community organizations. Unfortunately, the global pandemic had other plans and the event had to be canceled, but McCarthy Tracy got creative and launched the Good Neighbor program with the goal of providing non-profit partners with a space for the conversation, collaboration, and support they needed to help power their organizations.

Northland’s Good Neighbor program has now grown to include several community organizations and over two years of consecutive monthly meetings so far with ongoing collaboration.

“Our Good Neighbor program allows our community to collaborate, share insights, discuss various initiatives, and most importantly, help peers and their customers, said McCarthy Tracy. “We are a company driven by our communities and our goal is to be remembered as a good neighbor. We take great pride in living and working in Central New York.”

Some Good Neighbors in attendance at the luncheon were Food Bank of CNY, Meals on Wheels Syracuse, David’s Refuge, On Point for College, Access CNY, Leadership Greater Syracuse, Boy Scouts of America Leatherstocking Council, WCNY, Catholic Charities of Onondaga County, Crouse Health Foundation, and Symphoria: The Orchestra of CNY. Each organization got the chance to share who they are, their footprint, and how the Good Neighbor program has helped them over the past two years of virtual meetings and collaboration.

“Good Neighbor is just the beginning as we plan to enhance our commitment to our communities through continued sponsorship and support, said McCarthy Tracy. “We are looking forward to the future and the growth and strengthening of our Good Neighbor partnerships.”