Living in a good neighborhood with friendly neighbors and beautiful streets is something I’ve always valued. Maybe you grew up living in a place like I did where the kids all gathered in the cul-de-sac to play. Or perhaps you only saw how nice that could be on TV. But either way, right now it’s abundantly clear that the mojo of neighborhoods across the globe is in jeopardy…And that’s a real shame.

A close-knit community… What once was commonplace has now become a rarity due to many factors, including the busyness of contemporary life and the abundance of technological distractions we allow to come between us and other people. But no matter how self-absorbed we’ve all gotten, transforming your community into the kind of place where there’s a greater connection between neighbors and a sense of real belonging is still possible. It just requires a little more work than it once did. But if you decide to put in the hours, you can rest assured that the work will have a great payoff when you bring your community closer together than it ever has been before.

Ready to help your community become a better, more connected place? Read on for four great suggestions for doing just that.

  1. Throw a block party. You can’t improve a community when neighbors don’t know one another. A great way to make those introductions (or to reconnect with neighbors you already know but seldom speak with) is to throw a block party. Put together some games and activities for the kids, some drinks and snacks for the adults, and start mingling. Want to make sure all the kids are occupied? Celebrating life together is one of the best ways to develop meaningful friendships, and you’ll need those if you want your community to work together on one project or another.
    friendly-neighborhood-party
  2. Plant a community garden. There’s something about working on a project that will bear fruit—literal or figurative—that brings people together. When you put in the backbreaking work together and then hold the products of that labor in your hands, a special bond is created. Plus there’s an added bonus: whether you grow fruits, vegetables, or flowers (or all three), you can go door to door and offer them to your neighbors. It’s a great way to spread the word about the garden and get even more people involved…plus you know you are helping and blessing your neighbors on a regular basis.
  3. Set up a community resource center. This can be a literal place like someone’s garage or may also be virtual as a list of resources available. What do we mean by resources? Tools, for instance. They can be expensive, and how many table saws does one neighborhood really need? If someone owns one, put it on the list for when neighbors have home improvement projects coming up. Books or DVDs work too. You can create a neighborhood library and it’s a great way to get neighbors talking if they’re all reading the same book. You can also put together a stockpile of business cards letting neighbors know what trades and professions are represented in the neighborhood. There might be mechanics and plumbers as well as lawyers, teachers, and home decorators. If everyone agrees to share their particular expertise—like good neighbors do—then everyone can take part in saving each other money and referring new business.
    community
  4. Welcome new families right away. Whenever a new family moves in, make them feel welcome. Let them know they can contact you if they need anything and pick up a nice gift for the housewarming party, if they decide to have one. If they don’t decide to have such a party, invite them and a few others from the neighborhood over for dinner so you can help them begin making connections. It’s important to do such things right away. Let too much time go by and you send the message that new neighbors don’t matter to the community. Once that message has been sent, it can be hard to send a better one later on.

It’s not always easy to look past our own busy lives to connect with those around us. But when it comes to your neighborhood, creating a sense of genuine community, one in which you know you can celebrate the joys and hardships of life, makes life better. Life is better when it’s not faced alone. So, get out there and start making connections with your neighbors!

What are some of the things you’ve done in your own neighborhood to build a sense of community? Do you have Halloween or Christmas rituals like Boo Bags or Secret Santa?