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Meet Our #NeighborhoodHeroes: Erin Schreyer, The Front Porch Project

Recognizing our Neighborhoods’ Nicest

Neighborhoods matter—during good times and during times of crisis. And the kindness of neighbors is what helps us get through hard times like these. This principle—just being nice —is one of the most important Rhodes Rules, and it’s a principle we’ve seen our neighbors embody over and over this year.

“Always ask how you can help—and don’t stop until it’s done.” – Tom Rhodes

When we asked our neighbors who their Neighborhood heroes were, many were nominated. But one stood out above the rest. 

If you live in or around the Park Cities and have a front porch, chances are Erin Schreyer has taken a picture of you and your family during shelter-in-place (and if not your family, then definitely your neighbors’ family!).

The Front Porch Project by Erin Schreyer

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” – Hebrews 10:24. This is what Erin Schreyer calls her life-verse—the daily mantra she leads her life by. And it’s what inspired her to start her own Front Porch Project, after seeing a similar idea on the news, and having an increased desire to help those in need amid the pandemic.

“I was able to visit with many of my neighbors and spread joy while helping these local charities during their time of need—the perfect passion project.” – Erin Schreyer, Neighborhood Hero

Erin explained that “While being stuck inside our homes, it’s easy to focus on just ourselves—but I wanted to help others and myself think outside of themselves during this time. By helping, celebrating, and connecting with others, we have our spirits lifted.”

Her idea was this: She could take pictures of her neighbors and their families on their front porch to document this time in history, and in exchange ask those families to make a donation to a local charity or non-profit organization. 

“I wanted to help raise funds for the local charities and nonprofits who were going to help an increased number of people in need due to the pandemic. Being an extrovert myself, social distancing and isolation was really a challenge for me personally. But by executing The Front Porch Project, I was able to visit with many of my neighbors and spread joy while helping these local charities during their time of need—the perfect passion project.” 

What started as just a passion project blossomed into an outpouring of requests for Erin to take photographs of families in University Park, Highland Park, Preston Hollow, and Lakewood—a task that required Erin to work from sunup to sundown, just to keep up with the demand. With the help of her small volunteer committee, she was able to set up an online scheduling service as well as a tracking database for organizations and donations made throughout the duration of the project.

“While being stuck inside our homes, it’s easy to focus on just ourselves. [But] by helping, celebrating, and connecting with others, we have our spirits lifted.” – Erin Schreyer, The Front Porch Project

Bringing Neighbors Together While Apart

Every 20 minutes, for 4 hours per day during the Shelter-in-place order, Erin ran from house to house across town, taking photos of families who wanted to participate in the project. After taking the pictures, she would work to edit, upload, and share the photos with the families and on her Facebook, along with her story of the day’s events—a task she said was not easy, but was completely gratifying. 

“We live in such a great community, and this project really became a reflection of the kindness and generosity that our neighbors have for one another. In a time where we couldn’t get together, we found a way to come together in a different, meaningful way.” 

In total, Erin photographed 399 families and was able to help raise a total of $153,000 that was donated to 188 different local charities and non-profit organizations.

“In a time where we couldn’t get together, we found a way to come together in a different, meaningful way.” – Erin Schreyer

Her main goal with the project was to help spread some joy while providing extra funding to local charities, but blossomed into documenting and creating a special moment in time for her neighbors to share, connect, and form unforgettable bonds with one another while being apart. She hopes to one day publish her photographs in a book, as a piece of Park Cities history for generations to cherish. And we’ll definitely be adding one to our coffee tables when that time comes. 

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Call The Rhodes Group.

We grew up here. We live here. The Rhodes Group has been helping people buy and sell Dallas real estate in and around the Park Cities for two generations, immersed in the ebbs and flows of the local luxury real estate markets. WE KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.