by Khyati Desai, Civic Engagement Manager, HandsOn Network

Strong communities are made up of engaged residents who are at the center of efforts to address critical community issues.

In low-income, marginalized communities, residents are the experts of their own life experiences and can be agents of change.

And they already are.

Throughout many communities, informal neighbor-to-neighbor helping is happening every day.

HandsOn Network calls this Neighboring.

It is a matter of survival for disadvantaged communities.

Through the generous support of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Neighboring Initiative is focuses on mobilizing the time, talent and resources of low income and under-served  residents to strengthen families and transform communities into thriving and vital places to live.

Neighboring is not a program, or a project — it is simply good volunteer practice.

Neighboring acknowledges that all people have something to contribute to the improvement of their community.

When agencies engage low-income residents as partners, and not just clients, volunteering has the power to build essential connections that low income, under-served families and communities need to be successful.

These include connections to economic opportunities, access to reliable services and supportive social networks made up of caring neighbors.

I invite you to be a part of Neighboring.

Consider starting a Neighboring project in your community.

Download the Neighboring Action Kit and Essential Strategies to get started and then think about participating in a peer-learning opportunity.

The Neighboring Initiative hosts several Neighboring themed webinars and technical assistance calls throughout the year.

These calls are a great way to find out how other organizations have put Neighboring to work in their communities.

Topics of past calls have included: Neighboring & Financial Literacy, Neighboring & Youth, and Neighboring in Native American &
Minority Communities.

For more information, contact