How to Be a Good Neighbor January 30, 2023 There’s an old saying – “Good fences make good neighbors.” It couldn’t be further from the truth! Great neighborhoods happen when neighbors take the time to interact with and care for one another. If you are interested in seeing your neighborhood thrive, working to be... Shawn Duncan
4 Hallmarks of a Good Neighbor January 30, 2023 Community doesn’t exist without neighbors, and transformation rarely happens without the involvement of great neighbors. Whether they live next door, across the street, and down the block, they are the ones who truly understand your daily life. But what makes a good... Shawn Duncan
Can Neighbors be Friends? January 12, 2023 We all have neighbors, but you may be wondering if neighbors can double as friends. Loneliness has become an epidemic in our modern world. Though the pandemic hasn’t helped, the situation was bad even before COVID. In 2019, 61% of Americans over the age of 18 reported... Shawn Duncan
Are Neighbors Good? December 16, 2022 Should we really care so much about neighbors? Sharing pieces of everyday life with those around you sounds like a nice idea, but is it really necessary? Lots of us would love to have more fulfilling relationships with our neighbors, but is it worth the time and... Shawn Duncan
A Holistic Overview of Neighboring November 30, 2022 A Holistic Overview of Neighboring We know that people like you want to see the world get better. We want to play a role in ending chronic material poverty, illness, systemic racism, and even the hurts of everyday life. If you’re here, you likely also know that the... Shawn Duncan
What is a City Catalyst: Interview with Jake Norris November 2, 2022 Now that we have 3 City Shapers cohorts fully underway, we’re getting a clearer, first-hand view of what makes an effective City Shapers cohort. You can probably guess a few of them: strong partnerships, a clear geographic focus, flexibility. Relationships and... Shawn Duncan
Sense of Place and Architecture October 11, 2022 Sense of Place is a concept that Community Developers use to describe how a resident or neighbor experiences their space. When we talk about sense of place, it’s usually to capture a resident’s relationship with their neighborhood. Environment is a powerful factor in... Shawn Duncan
Cleveland, TN Uses the FNI to Flourish September 14, 2022 You may recall that we have been running six Flourishing Neighborhood Index assessments in neighborhoods across the country, including in our hometown of South Atlanta! One of these neighborhoods was in Cleveland, Tennessee. It’s a community about an hour outside of... Shawn Duncan
Sense of Place and Community September 13, 2022 Sense of Place is crucial to neighborhood development. It’s a framework to describe a neighborhood’s character and neighbors’ attachment to it. As you enter a school or local restaurant, you may feel attached to your surroundings. These emotional responses are... Shawn Duncan
City Shapers Update: Holland, Michigan August 30, 2022 As you know, we have been launching City Shapers cohorts across the country! We recently got back from our second gathering with the Holland City Shapers team. We caught up with Lead Trainer David Park to hear about the progress being made in this city. If YOU are... Shawn Duncan