When’s the last time you asked to borrow a cup of sugar from your neighbor?
According to statistics from Nextdoor.com, only about 26 percent of people actually speak to their neighbors.
“People lead such busy lives these days that getting to know their neighbors just isn’t something a lot of people make time for,” says Alana Owen, senior planner for the City of Springfield. “Plus, newer housing developments often aren’t built to promote interaction with neighbors. Newer homes are typically absent of the large front porches that older homes have and the focus of activity is in the backyard of the home rather than in the front.”
If you want to be part of a friendlier neighborhood, Owen recommends the following:
Get Involved
Join your neighborhood organization and attend the meetings and neighborhood events. Visit SGFNeighborhoodNews.com to view your neighborhood organization’s meeting schedule. If your neighborhood is not listed on the site, ask around your neighborhood or check Nextdoor.com or Facebook to find out if your neighborhood has an organization. You may also contact Owen at 417-864-1831 or aowen@springfieldmo.gov.
If your neighborhood has an annual clean-up event, take advantage of the opportunity to get rid of yard waste and trash – and to get to know your neighbors while everyone is out and about.
“We find that inviting people to be involved in the neighborhood in small ways, like helping with a Saturday morning street clean-up or coming to one meeting so they can hear our PAR officer and firefighters speak, and share in the potluck, leads to greater participation,” says Woodland Heights Neighborhood Association President Linda Passeri.
“If we can call on a neighbor to help in a small way like making phone calls, for instance, it breaks a barrier.” Volunteer at or help organize neighborhood events, such as an ice cream social, annual neighborhood garage sale or Neighborhood Night Out. If crime has become an issue in your area, consider forming a Block Watch, which is a smaller version of Neighborhood Watch. This initiative enables residents
in a neighborhood that has not been able to attain the level of participation needed to implement a full Neighborhood Watch program to band together in a smaller group (i.e., a block) to help prevent crime and keep each other safe. To form a Neighborhood
Watch or a Block Watch, call the Springfield Police Department at 417-874-2113.
“Some neighborhood organizations actually got their start from forming a Neighborhood Watch,” Owen said.
Be a Good Neighbor
Help an elderly or ill neighbor by bringing in their trash barrels or offering to mow their lawn if you notice it getting tall. If your garden produces more than you can eat, offer the bounty to neighbors. Is there a family on your street with children younger than yours? Offer them your kids’ outgrown clothing, books and toys if they’re still in good condition.
If you’re online, join Nextdoor.com and/or follow your neighborhood on Facebook.
“Overall, we think it’s great when neighbors use Nextdoor and Facebook to stay in touch with each other and keep an eye out on their neighborhood,” Owen said. “But a lot of people aren’t online – either because they choose not to be or they don’t have the resources – which is why one-on-one connections are so important.”
Adjust your account settings on Nextdoor to ensure you’re receiving the information you want and are not being overloaded with messages from nearby neighborhoods and/or public agencies.
Reach Out
Making one-on-one connections with your neighbors is No. 1, Owen says.
“It can be as simple as asking a neighbor to check on your pet if you’re going to be out of town or offering to pick up a neighbor’s mail if you know they’re going to be out of town,” Owen says. “Make them feel needed, and make sure they know that you will return the favor.”
Passeri agrees that good, old-fashioned face time with neighbors is the best way to get connected in your neighborhood.
“The most effective way we’ve found to get involvement from our neighbors in Woodland Heights is still the door-to-door, one-on-one invitations from a member of the neighborhood association to participate in an activity or come to a meeting,” Passeri says.