Plymouth Realtor Eustace Payne Jr.’s work with formerly incarcerated men in Massachusetts has earned him recognition from The National Association of REALTORS® as a finalist in the 2026 Good Neighbor Awards.

Payne spent two decades working in the Massachusetts prison system as a probation officer and ordained minister before founding the Massachusetts Community Outreach Initiative. The organization provides mentorship to formerly incarcerated men, empowering them to launch businesses, earn degrees and become fathers, husbands and community leaders.

Lee Francois, one of the Payne’s mentees, shared, “I was carrying an enormous amount of shame from my past, my relationship with God was broken, and mentally and spiritually, I was struggling to believe that my life could become anything different. Instead of defining me by my mistakes, [Payne] chose to walk alongside me.”

Francois went on to found FGXstudios and become media director of Bethel AME Church and resident media technician of Berklee College of Music, Africana Studies Department in Boston.

“[Payne] helped me rebuild my life. He became the father figure I didn’t have during one of the most important seasons of my life,” he said.

As a real estate professional, Payne uses his industry experience to help his MCOI clients buy homes. His hope is to use the grant money from NAR’s Good Neighbors program to purchase a home where those recently released from prison can stay.

To vote for Payne or any of the other finalists, visit realtor.com/goodneighbor between today and Oct. 24. Winners will be announced on Oct. 27.