Tips for Keeping Your Neighborhood Connected
Most of us want to live in a well-connected neighborhood, but it can be hard to know where to start. Consider these tips for keeping your neighborhood connected.
These days, many of us find ourselves stretched thin between work, family, and personal responsibilities. If this is the case for you, it can be hard to maintain a sense of connection to your neighborhood. Yet, neighborhood connection is vital. Well-connected neighborhoods are safer and connection with others leads us all to live healthier, happier, longer lives.
Tips to Consider
Most of us want to live in a well-connected neighborhood, but it can be hard to know where to start. Consider these tips for keeping your neighborhood connected.
- Get involved with community resources.
A quick google search will tell you about the resources in your community in which you can get involved. These might include food banks, clinics, rec centers, or parks. These types of community resources are often looking for volunteers and donations, which are great ways to get involved and connected with your neighborhood.
You can use the ioby app to find or create projects in your community. On ioby, you can find your city and view projects that need support. You can also create your own project if you notice a community need, like maintaining a community garden, picking up trash on neighborhood streets, or helping a neighbor in need.
- Sign-up for Next Door
Next Door is a great resource to keep your neighborhood connected. On Next Door, members of a community or neighborhood can share essential information, connect with local events and businesses, and build relationships with one another online. Next Door verifies all community members, so you can be sure you are participating with your direct neighbors.
On Next Door, you will find forums to discuss topics like real estate, safety, lost and found, and local deals. You can reach out to neighbors for support or help with projects or find neighbors who could use help from you. You can also create or join groups on Next Door that are specific to your neighborhood and any particular interests you might have – like finding fellow cat-lovers in your neighborhood or joining up with others who like to garden.
- Join or create social media groups
If you don’t want to sign-up for a new service like Next Door, consider using your existing social media accounts. Many neighborhoods have existing groups on Facebook or accounts on Instagram to which you can contribute.
Anyone can start a Facebook group. Be sure to check first to see if your neighborhood has an existing group you can join. Through your social media accounts, you can post about your neighborhood, comment on or like others’ posts, share neighborhood-specific memes, and do lots of other things to connect with your neighbors and your neighborhood.
- Get out and get fit
One of the best ways to keep your neighborhood connected is to get out in it. Get outside and enjoy things like neighborhood parks, beautiful landscaping, and local businesses. Greet your neighbors as you go.
Getting out can also be a great way to get fit. Consider joining the YMCA in your neighborhood or using exercise resources at your local rec center. Exercising with your neighbors is a great way to connect with them and be present in your neighborhood.
- Create neighborhood stories
If your neighbors follow you on Instagram or Snapchat, start creating neighborhood stories. Take a walk around your neighborhood and snap pictures of interesting things. Take selfies with your neighbors when you spend time with them and share them to your story.
Using stories is a great way to maintain a sense of connection to your neighborhood and your neighbors. Your story may also be a great inspiration for your neighbors to do the same.
Wrap-up
If you’re feeling disconnected from your neighbors, there are lots of ways to build and maintain neighborhood connection. With so many benefits to neighborhood connection, we could all benefit by following these tips right away.
