Keeping this year’s Spirit of Belonging Award a surprise came with an unexpected twist: our honoree slipped out before we could announce her name!
At our third annual Brunch & Belonging on Saturday, October 17, we were delighted to recognize Sandy Demeree. But Sandy, unaware she was receiving the award, had left early to attend another gathering—off creating more belonging, just as she so often does.
Later that afternoon, I had the honor of delivering the award to Sandy at her home. As L’Arche North Carolina’s Executive Director, I was delighted to witness her complete surprise. Turning to her husband, she exclaimed, “DID YOU KNOW?” He was just as surprised!
What made the moment even sweeter was that Sandy had been busy encouraging friends in L’Arche and the North Street neighborhood to nominate another friend and neighbor. Little did she know, her neighbors were nominating her.
That instinct to celebrate others is one of the many reasons Sandy is so deserving of this recognition. Below, we share the award presentation from Brunch & Belonging, honoring the countless ways she helps people know and feel that they belong.
The speech from Brunch & Belonging:
This year’s recipient knows that belonging takes tending.
For years, she has brought North Street neighbors together through potlucks, bingo, and community gardening. She notices who needs a visit, a hug, or a jar of homemade jam—and she shows up.
She is someone people count on: a steady, caring presence who helps neighbors care for one another, especially those without family or close supports nearby.
Her care extends to the whole neighborhood—from tending trees and beautiful gardens to finding shade for shared gathering spaces. She pays attention to the details that help people feel comfortable, connected, and at home.
She has also used her rental homes to welcome people with few housing options, working to ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and others who experience exclusion have accessible places to live and belong.
And this year, her commitment has taken on special meaning for L’Arche. She has been a tireless advocate for our finding a home at North Street. As we prepare to welcome more people into our Friendship House community, we celebrate someone who has already spent years nurturing the relationships that will help those homes flourish.
As one nomination put it, “All of our lives are better because of Sandy.”
Please join me in celebrating this year’s Spirit of Belonging Award recipient: Sandy Demeree!
Sandy, thank you for your kindness, your persistence, and the everyday care that helps so many people feel at home.
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Sandy Demeree is our third Spirit of Belonging Award recipient! She joins Warrie Evans, III (2024), a community member who shares in the life of our Together Events, and Rofida Bakheet (2025), a live-in assistant. Each has helped create a community where people feel known, valued, and welcomed.
