REAP's Neighbors Helping Neighbors Project began in 2006 with a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to start other volunteer groups based on the Community Care Network of Nichols (CCNN).  CCNN helps elderly in the their community with many needed services such as transportation to medical appointments, grocery shopping, etc.  REAP was asked by other communities in Tioga County to help set up the same kind of service in their hometowns.  The 2006 ARC grant facilitated establishment of the Northern Tioga Neighborhood Network (NTNN) in Richford and furthered the efforts of the Senior Information and Referral Service (SIRS) in Spencer. 

Most recently, Tioga County REAP has partnered with the Rural Health Coalition of South Central NY to establish Tioga County Neighbors Helping Neighbors (TC NHN).  This countywide effort is a collaboration comprised of Rural Health Network of SCNY, Tioga County Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP), and, most importantly, three local volunteer organizations: The Community Care Network of Nichols (serving the township of Nichols), Northern Tioga Neighbors Network (serving the townships of Richford and Berkshire), and the Senior Information and Referral Service (serving the townships of Spencer and Van Etten). 

These grassroots volunteer organizations are independent and diverse in their organizational structures, size and governance.  They all provide essential services to elderly, low income and disabled residents in their communities. 

In 2010, this collaboration received a grant from the NYS Health Foundation to create a Hub & Spoke Configuration.  The hub and spoke model was conceived by Sandy McCoy Cleveland, a retired Master Prepared Nurse Practitioner, and co-founder of the Community Care Network of Nichols.  It resembles the hub and spokes of a wheel. The hub consists of the core administrative services (not currently provided) that support the independent volunteer organizations, or spokes.  The hub is comprised of a Coordinator whose focus is to support partnership activities such as; collaborative fund raising and resource development; technical assistance provided to TC NHN volunteer organizations in organizational planning and development; information and referral services; client and volunteer management; development of common data reporting criteria and standards; and development of communication tools.

In addition, it is the goal of the TC NHN project to create 2 new Networks in Tioga County, as well as enhancing and expanding the services of the existing organizations.