Image courtesy Federico Hernandez / OnlyNeighbours

In 2015, Federico Hernandez and Ana Sanchez-Jauregui moved to the Pacific Northwest for new job opportunities and made their home on Mercer Island. As they settled into their new home and community, they realized that their friends and neighbors were active during the summer, socializing at parks, clubs, and community events, but disappeared during the busy school season and cooler, rainy days of fall, summer, and spring.

An extroverted Puerto Rican, Federico decided to look for a way to continue meeting with other families and strengthening his family’s relationships with their neighbors and community. He determined that there was no better way to do this than through food, and the idea for OnlyNeighbours was born.

OnlyNeighbours (yes, with the British English spelling) is a platform that pairs three to four different families about every three months for a potluck or meal.  It is currently in Beta stage, with about 12 Mercer Island families participating. Federico is seeking more families to join as he continues to improve the look, feel, and experience of the platform.

If you are interested in learning more about OnlyNeighbours or to sign up directly, visit www.onlyneighbours.com. Feel free to reach out to Federico with questions at [email protected].