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, and pursue the common good.
During the lab, residents mapped out the assets around them including:
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The skills that neighbors bring like an 8th grade science teacher who studies herpetology (the study of amphibians and reptiles), long-time residents who have deep knowledge of the history and changes of the neighborhood, and instructional design,
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the groups and organizations in their neighborhood like Servant House, Hope Academy, Dash + Dine, and the local run club,
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the physical gifts of their neighborhood including a library, fire station, bus route, and sidewalks,
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and more!
Rather than focusing on what was missing, the conversation shifted to what they could do with what they already had. They knew that new residents moving into the neighborhood had a perception that it was unsafe, while long-time residents knew this repuation didn’t match their experience.
From there, participants crafted an actionable plan to show their community was safe: forming a walking group that could meet regularly, get to know neighbors, and let new neighbors experience the neighborhood for themselves.
Each walk had a different theme – during one the science teacher pointed out the different reptiles and plants in their neighborhood. During another the local gym hosted yoga in a parking lot after the community walk.
What makes this story remarkable isn’t a flashy new program or a large-scale initiative. The success of the Glenwood walking group came from leveraging the gifts already in the community—time, enthusiasm, shared interests—rather than relying on money, outside resources, or extensive planning.
Over the course of a year, the walking group continued to meet consistently, creating spaces for residents to connect, share stories, and notice the hidden layers of their neighborhood.
This experiment demonstrates an important lesson: neighborhood transformation doesn’t always require grand projects or big budgets. By focusing on local gifts and building from what’s already present, communities can foster deeper connections, encourage collaboration, and create enduring impact—one step at a time.
