When people talk about economics, they usually focus on markets, prices, increased economic activity and formal transactions. But there’s an entire layer of economic activity happening outside our front doors that is embedded in everyday neighborly relationships. It’s informal, often unmeasured, but deeply impactful. I was doing some research on the economic value of being an engaged neighbor. You can read some of what I discovered in another upcoming blog post. But while researching, I asked a question in an online community I participate in and got a response from my friend in Ohio, Chet Ridenour. His perspective sent me in an entirely new direction. As Chet wrote: " In my experiences from trying to be a good neighbor, I can point to numerous examples of neighboring support that we could practically provide a tangible, economic value to." Brilliant .  Chet noted that while it may be difficult for a university or economist to objectively quantify these exchanges, the value...

  The future of neighboring will not arrive through a national campaign or a perfect plan. It will arrive quietly, the same way it always has—one street at a time. A conversation begins. A name is remembered. A neighbor is noticed. Over time, those small moments accumulate into something powerful: a culture where people no longer live beside one another as strangers, but as neighbors who recognize that the health of their community begins right outside their front door. I believe that Missouri can lead the way, especially with the following plan for Missouri Good Neighbor Week . Mission, Vision and More Vision: Make Missouri the most neighborly state by cultivating daily practices of neighboring that ease loneliness, spark belonging, build trust, and strengthen community resilience. Mission: To inspire, equip, and celebrate Missourians as they practice intentional acts of neighboring that create connection, strengthen communities, and position Missouri as the nation’s leading model...