These are some resources you can use to plan community-building activities in your neighborhood around National Night Out, August 3, 2010 (unless you’re in Texas: 10/5). The National Night Out website. From the About page: NNO is designed to Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; Generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs; Strengthen [...]

Some free icebreaking, team-building, community-making resources and selections, mainly from nonprofits, schools, and government agencies. Some notes on when to use icebreakers, and what makes them good – from the Resource Center of the Corporation for National & Community Service (@nationalservice). “Icebreakers are often used to encourage people to open up or feel comfortable, invite [...]

Sources: Block Party Guide, Oakland CA and Block Party Planning Tips from Block Party NYC. These resources include forms and other tools. For local restrictions and guides, try searching the term “block party permit” and the name of your city/town. Click on this, for example. 10 Reasons To Have a Block Party To have fun [...]

Bike Your Block Too: Tips for Bike-Themed Block Parties 15 Oct 2009 by MikeOnBike An hour into NOPA’s popular Bike the Block party last month, a few neighbors announced, “We’ve got to do this next year” and “We should do this every month.” But the comment that grabbed our attention the most was “I wish [...]

Gardens feed neighborhoods and neighborly feelings Episcopal Life Online – Just as gardens increase the diversity of flora and fauna, they can bring together a variety of people from the communities surrounding them, some of whom might not otherwise meet. Adult gardeners join with children and youth in the garden. St. Michael’s garden in Anderson, [...]

What is it? Crafted by people all over the world and drafted by a multi-fath, multi-national council of thinkers and leaders, the Charter for Compassion asks that we practice the Golden Rule: to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. It reminds the faithful (and the faithless, like me) that founders [...]

A beautiful idea comes to town Duncan Banner – Kevin Kerr – The idea got to her, and she came up with something that has turned into a day-long event called Neighbors helping Neighbors. The event won’t be limited to curb cleaning, but to whatever community members think needs to be done in their neighborhoods [...]

[ Extracted from the "Neighborhood Enhancement" section of 366 Community Service Ideas. Compiled by Janet Fox, 4-H Extension Specialist. Value-added: we linked to resources that might help you apply these ideas. If you have more (or better) links, please reply below. ] <br /> <a href=”http://answers.polldaddy.com/poll/2044686/” mce_href=”http://answers.polldaddy.com/poll/2044686/”>Extra credit: check the ideas that you like, then [...]

[ takeaway: murals brings community; and they're fun ] Wanted: local painters, no artistic training required. Tomorrow the Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project and the South of Navy Yards Artists will roll out brushes, pencils and buckets of paint for the young, and young at heart, to put the final brush strokes on a community mural. [...]

These projects by past Make A Difference Day honorees can inspire your brainstorm sessions for ideas on how your group can use its special services to make a difference. Also on this site: planning guides and other resources to help you turn your ideas into good deeds. Need ideas? Check out the Idea Generator. TEEN [...]