Thanks to your generosity, Mt. Pleasant (Isabella County, Michigan) is creating a place where everyone feels welcome to be their authentic self. Read below to hear from Jennifer, a resident in Mt. Pleasant and part of the Connected Community Catalyst team on how this journey has shaped the community over…

Thanks to your generosity, Ravine Village (Toledo, Ohio) is helping residents work together to improve their community.  The Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority (LMHA) has been a pillar of affordable housing in Lucas County since 1933. Through its programs, including public housing and Section 8, LMHA helps families, seniors, and individuals…

Over the past year, Azalea Park (Orlando, FL) is strengthening their efforts to be a neighborhood that is an insanely amazing place to grow up and grow old.  Azalea Park is a growing multicultural neighborhood filled with residents who have been in the neighborhood for generations and new families from…

As part of the Neighborhood Leadership Academy, the Economic Development Corporation of Michigan City has invited CommunityWorks to host the Unlocking Neighborhood Gifts workshop as a core experience for every participant. Over the past two years, more than 50 residents have completed the workshop, each identifying one way they could…

Over the past year, CommunityWorks has begun supporting community building work in the Azalea Park neighborhood of Orange County, FL. Our local team has been building relationships and developing partnerships across the neighborhood. One partner, Colonial High School, is leading the charge in building a connected community. This year, as teachers…

Earlier this year, I (Eric Smith) began coaching two incredible Neighborhood Connectors — Trish in Birmingham Terrace and Mandy in Ravine Village — through a new partnership with the Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority (LMHA). Both neighborhoods are low-income, subsidized housing communities, where resilience runs deep & hope hard-won. To give…

In Mt. Pleasant (Central Michigan), our team has helped to cultivate relationships and develop opportunities for social connection. Earlier this year, the Connected Community Catalyst team and the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College STEAM club held their inaugural Game Night! Local community members came together for friendly competition and a chance…

The 40s Neighborhood  Over the past four years, CommunityWorks’ Community Empowerment Coach, Jonna, has been partnering with resident leaders like Robin, Rolunda, and Makya to cultivate relationships and discover gifts in the West of Washington neighborhood in Holland, MI. This has included hosting events, connecting with community resources, and most…

In June, we partnered with Dr. Amie Thurber and local neighborhood organizations to launch The Neighborhood Story Project in West Michigan!  The Neighborhood Story Project was created by Dr. Thurber to help neighborhoods learn their past to shape their future. This initiative has demonstrated success in Tennessee and Oregon in…

In March 2024, CommunityWorks partnered with The Hopeful Neighborhood Project and Glenwood Together to host a Hopeful Neighborhood Lab, bringing residents together to activate their community. Through this lab, residents explored the hidden gifts of their neighborhood. The goal was simple, but powerful: help residents discover their gifts, imagine the possibilities,…

As our friends at The Hopeful Neighborhood Project say, “A neighborhood without neighbors is just a collection of houses.” And it’s true! The power of neighborhoods is created by the people there.  But, even with every home filled, a neighborhood can still feel powerless and unconnected. People who live close…

Whenever there’s a conference of neighboring professionals there’s always the same moment. We go around the room and say what our job is or what our organization does and then…other people, well, they just get it. They know exactly what we mean. And we didn’t even have to spend 20…

In 2024, we celebrated a number of milestones as an organization and we were able to support a growing movement of Community Builders across the country. This includes:  29 neighborhoods impacted, 27 neighborhood Connectors supported,  495 leaders trained,  24 facilitators supported, and  16 states reached!  To learn more about the…

As shared with us by Chet: In 2017, I received a pledge card at a Columbus Foundation “Big Table” event. The prompt read: My Commitment: To create a strong and connected community, I will… My answer was, “Start by connecting my neighbors.” That one small challenge led me to organize…

Pictured Above: West of Washington Connectors in Holland, MIA few months back, Makya and Robin (Neighborhood Connectors in South Holland) were going door-to-door to get to know their neighbors. One of the doors they knocked on was Rolunda’s. Rolunda has always been a natural connector, and after only a few…

When Jeffrey first moved to the Godfrey Lee neighborhood, he knew he wanted to get involved. He soon found Godfrey Lee Listeners and became a part of their leadership. When the nonprofit began searching for a new part-time Neighborhood Connector, one board member encouraged Jeffrey to apply. He politely declined.…

Montello Park is the newest neighborhood in the City of Holland, Michigan to design for social connection. 3Sixty (an intermediary organization serving Holland’s several Neighborhood Development Organizations) is coordinating the effort with support from the Oakwood Fund at the Community Foundation of the Holland-Zeeland Area, as well as with four…

Established in 1978, the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association (RPNA) has worked to make the Roosevelt Park neighborhood a safe, attractive place for residents and businesses alike. Successes include: Built a new playground/basketball courts at Hall School in 1994 Built the first Grandville Avenue Neighborhood Library in 1996 Built the Grandville…

For the past 16 years, Great Lakes Urban has seen communities in Michigan activated to own their story. From community gardens to mural festivals to neighborhood clean-ups, these communities are creating a better future for everyone. But, over the past year, we’ve been asking, what about the rest of the…

Jake Norris graduated from DePaul University with a degree in sociology, where he learned about Asset Based Community Development. He and his family moved to Holland in 2018 and live in the Eastcore neighborhood. Jake directs 3sixty, which is strengthening the Eastcore neighborhood. Jake also serves as the Holland-Zeeland Regional…

Doris Perez was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, where her parents were both heavily involved in their community. They ran a medical clinic out of a trailer that they were able to move all over the island to bring assistance to many people. Every person that they helped…

CommunityWorks is proud to support the work of 3sixty in the Eastcore neighborhood of Holland, Michigan. At the height of a global pandemic, Eastcore residents launched a new event with special meaning; an event that showed us all the value of culture in building a connected community. This is their…

Community leader Robin Klay has lived in Pioneer Village for the past four years. Having worked and lived in places like West Africa, Japan, and Mexico, she has gained a diverse and global perspective that she brings into her community connecting in Holland, MI. We were able to talk with…

The work of cultivating connection and change in the Westcore neighborhood is spearheaded by Amy Mares. Amy directs the efforts of Westcore Neighbors, an independent nonprofit neighborhood development corporation. Westcore Neighbors manages Nuestra Casa (a neglected property that residents purchased and restored to use as a community center), recruits, equips…

Bates Place Neighbors (BPN), based in Grand Rapids, MI, is passionate about neighborhood strengthening. In 2021, CommunityWorks formally linked with BPN as a supporting partner.Wayne Squires, BPN director, remarked, \"We so appreciate the ongoing training and coaching support of CommunityWorks. Our staff has benefited from the energy, wisdom, and encouragement…

Maddie Roberts was born and raised in Illinois and attended Taylor University in Indiana where she majored in Public Health. After graduating from college and marrying her husband, Christian, Maddie moved to Holland, MI. Beginning July 1, 2020, Maddie joined CommunityWorks part-time to start her connecting work in the West…

The work of cultivating connection and change in the Washington School neighborhood is spearheaded by Lisa Kasten. Lisa directs the efforts of Washington School Neighbors (WSN), an independent nonprofit neighborhood development corporation. WSN runs the neighborhood garden, recruits, equips and mobilizes block connectors, supports neighborhood gatherings like an annual street…

Strong, thriving neighborhoods provide the resources and relationships for every person to reach their full potential. They are a mixture of physical infrastructure, civic infrastructure, and social infrastructure– which while each unique, work to support and reinforce one another.  However, measuring the strength of a neighborhood can be complex as…

A strong, thriving neighborhood provides the resources and relationships for every person to reach their full potential. However, neighborhoods are complex and capturing the strength of a neighborhood can be challenging.  Below is one way to do so– The Strong Neighborhood Index. This index details the real life components thriving…

Author Daniel Pink in his book \"When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing\" found that people are motivated to act and reflect as things are ending and new things are beginning. This is why people tend to run marathons or change career paths when they\'re about to turn 30, 40,…

Want to complete a project in your neighborhood? Whether it\'s hosting a block party, a neighborhood clean-up, or getting to know your neighbors, this resource will help you build a team and think through all the elements needed for your project. 

A good neighbor is someone just like you. It\'s people who are looking for deeper connection and meaning, right where they are. Being a Good Neighbor means bringing people together on balconies, in front yards, driveways, and porches to talk, laugh, and plan for a better future. It means knowing…

How can churches leverage what makes them unique for the good of the neighborhood? In this paper, Board Member Jay VanGroningen explores how churches can make this transition.  This article is a part of a series on promising practices for sustainable Asset-Based Community Development, or ABCD.  

Listen in to this live celebration and update from the 2025 year. You\'ll hear from on the ground leaders in Mt. Pleasant, MI, Toledo, OH, and Orlando, FL about the impact they\'ve seen through partnering with CommunityWorks.  Want to catalyze more stories like this? Give today to help us continue…

Watch this webinar co-presented by CommunityWorks and Mid-America Regional Council. During this webinar, we shared about strategies for investing in resident leadership initiatives and how these efforts can improve social connection among residents of all ages. This virtual event featured panelists with expertise in leveraging municipal or philanthropic resources to implement…

Local leaders often expect residents to get involved and take initiative without providing a pathway for involvement. When this happens, community leaders and residents are left frustrated and feeling unsupported by each other. Join us for our upcoming Community Building Masterclass where we\'ll explore how ABCD can be used to…

Community Building often starts by investing in social connection and relationships within a neighborhood. But, catalyzing this connection into civic muscle can be confusing. How do you help neighbors not just come together but effectively solve problems together? Watch the webinar above to learn from Doug Linkhart about how to…

Recording of our June Community Building Masterclass where participants: ✅ Connected with other civic and municipal leaders wanting to improve their relationship with the community ✅ Learned the principles of Asset-Based Community Development ✅ Explored key leverage points for building strong, resident-led communities ✅ Gained free access to our Strong…

Every neighborhood has a story. But when neighbors don\'t know this story, or feel powerless to change it, they can feel disconnected and lack a sense of belonging. This makes it harder to feel tied to the place they live or to appreciate the rich local history. Join us as…

Learn from Réna Bradley, a Neighborhood Planner and activator for the City of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Réna manages the FORT-ify Neighborhood Accelerator and will share how City leaders can develop local leaders and reinvigorate neighborhood associations through an accelerator program.  Resources: Bridge of Grace Groundbreaking Ceremony (Video) Bridge of Grace…

Have you ever wondered if the churches and congregations in your neighborhood see themselves as a neighbor? Or if it is even the faith community\'s role to support strong, connected neighborhoods? Listen in on our insightful conversation with Tim Soerens, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Parish Collective and PastorBrian…

Our last Bright Spots in ABCD webinar of 2023 celebrated the transformative power of social connection across Holland, MI. From the block level all the way to City Hall, local leaders are creating lasting change, starting with everyday neighbors. The city of Holland\'s \"Blueprint for Flourishing Neighborhoods\" is an innovative…

Dr. Karen Wilk, an ABCD practitioner and thought leader for over 2 decades across North America, has been central to the development of the \"Neighborhood Connector\" role with Abundant Community Edmonton. The Community League system in Edmonton is a 100 year old innovation that has brought hyper-local governance to Edmonton…

Join a conversation with Seth D. Kaplan exploring why American society is in trouble, and how to fix it, starting with the places we call home. Seth is is a leading expert on fragile states. He is a Professorial Lecturer at Johns Hopkins University, Senior Adviser for the Institute for…

Featuring DeAmon Harges, the renowned Roving Listener of Indianapolis. Also joining us was Guadalupe Pimentel Solano, Director of Community Leadership & Equitable Initiatives at the Indianapolis Foundation. Together, we explored how civic action and grantmaking fueled inside-out change in Indianapolis, and how the same can happen in other communities also. …

Featuring Jennifer Prophete, Community Programming Director with The Hopeful Neighborhood Project, a collaborative network committed to improving neighborhood well-being. Listen in as we explore with Kansas City, MO resident leaders about how Neighborhood Labs help neighbors get started on their ABCD journey. Recording date: June 7, 2023 This webinar was…

Visit with Jim Diers, an internationally sought after ABCD speaker, facilitator, activator and author of Neighbor Power: Building Community the Seattle Way. Also joining us was Zachary Stevens, Neighborhood Liaison Supervisor with the Community Development Office of the City of Kitchener to discuss the city\'s unique approach to supporting citizen…

On December 14 we visited with Adam Barlow-Thompson and the staff at The Neighboring Movement as they discuss their unique strategy for inspiring, catalyzing, and nurturing authentic, gifts-focused community in the South Central neighborhood of Wichita, across Kansas through an animator network and nationally through the neighboring experiment. Recording date:…

In September we visited with Deanna West-Torrence and her staff at the North End Community Improvement Collaborative to learn how they are using Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) to revitalize the North End neighborhood of Mansfield, Ohio. Learn how an asset lens helped turn a potential loss of $20,000 into…

On June 8 we visited with Rev. Damon Lynch, III, Gene Ellington, and Amber Twitty to learn how they used Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) to transform--both socially and economically--the Roselawn and Bond Hill neighborhoods of Cincinnati. Click the link below to view the recording. Recording date: June 8, 2022…

​Two of the great luminaries of the global Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) movement -- John McKnight, Co-Founder of the ABCD Institute, and Cormac Russell, Director of ABCD Europe -- join with Tecca Jones of Grand Rapids to discuss \"The Connected Community: Discovering the Health, Wealth & Power of Neighborhoods.\"…

Listen in to a moderated discussion with Wayne Squires, Director of Bates Place Neighbors, and two Community Connectors, Tecca and Luke, of the Baxter and Bates Place neighborhoods. You will learn how neighborhoods in Grand Rapids, MI are growing into safe and strong communities, and how you can support these…

Listen as Wyoming\'s Mayor, Jack Poll, our community connector in the Godfrey Lee neighborhood, Doris Perez, and Godfrey Lee resident and neighborhood team leader, Susan Van Bronkhorst, discuss how steady efforts to connect with neighbors add up to stronger, more abundant communities.  Recording date: September 15, 2021 This webinar was…

Listen in as we chat with a sergeant from the City of Holland\'s police force, as well as local leaders Amy Mares and Jay Van Groningen, about how neighborhoods in Holland are growing into strong and safe communities. Watch the recording to hear how asset based community development is having an…