Last Thursday evening (Feb. 19), I had the privilege of leading a Neighborhood Lab in Springfield — and it was one of those gatherings that quietly reminds you why neighboring matters. The event was hosted by Flourish , a nonprofit that has intentionally embedded itself in the Heart of the Westside neighborhood. Their mission is beautifully simple and deeply ambitious: build relationships and transforming lives so the neighborhood can truly thrive — or flourish. About 20 neighbors gathered around tables, shared a meal provided by Flourish, and then leaned into a 90-minute workshop rooted in asset-based community development. Instead of asking, “What’s wrong here?” we asked, “What’s strong here?” Participants took time to identify their own gifts and talents — the skills, passions, and experiences they already carry — and then explored how those strengths might connect with assets that already exist in the neighborhood. It didn’t take long before ideas began to surface. A walking ...

  J eff Pishney’s Love Our Cities is one of those rare books that does not merely inspire — it reorganizes how you think about community change. While many civic or church-based books focus on motivation, strategy, or theology, Pishney quietly does something more practical: he explains how a city can move from fragmented goodwill to coordinated action. And he does it through a real story. A Story That Starts Where Most Communities Actually Are The book begins in Modesto, California, in the mid-2000s — a place facing problems familiar to nearly every American community: low trust in institutions, tension between churches and local government, nonprofits competing while needs remained unmet, disconnected neighborhoods, and duplication of services but little shared impact. Instead of proposing a new program, Modesto leaders asked a better question:  What if we stopped trying to grow our organizations and started trying to solve our city’s problems together? That question launche...

  The Webster County Farm Bureau Board lead a collaborative food security project in partnership with Greene County 4-H Teen Council, Glendale FFA, Mighty Eagles 4-H Club, Seymour FFA, and Niangua FFA on Monday, February 16, at the Seymour High School. 50 youth and adults stood elbow to elbow to pack over 11,000 meals that are being distributed to local food pantries and food security projects. This event trained students to recognize local needs and emboldened them to participate in collaborative neighborhood leadership. Participants wrapped up this 2nd annual event as they enjoyed lunch together, cooked by Missouri Farm Bureau leadership. More than 1,000 meals were distributed to each of the following food security projects: Marshfield Food Pantry, Elkland Food Pantry, Niangua Food Pantry, Niangua Care to Learn, ‘The Branch’ at Glendale, King’s Food Pantry-Seymour, Care to Learn-Fordland, Safe Haven Now-Fordland, Safe Haven Now-Rogersville, the Greene County Juvenile Center, and ...

  In most conversations about health, we start in the wrong place. We start with doctors, medications, and insurance systems — the places we go  after something has already gone wrong . Shawna Beese, a rural health researcher and Extension specialist in Washington State, flips that order. Her work explores a simple but disruptive idea:  Health is not primarily created in healthcare systems.  It is created in neighborhoods. Her research treats neighboring not as a nice social habit, but as a  population-level health intervention  — a practical way to reduce chronic disease, mental illness, and despair before treatment is needed. Beese’s central insight is that health operates at the scale of everyday life. Where you spend most of your hours — home, street, workplace, local relationships — determines your long-term biological stress load far more than occasional medical visits.  Her research focuses on how neighborhood characteristics influence well...

  Every winter, cities prepare for snow in predictable ways: salt trucks, plows, alerts, and parking rules. Those things matter. They keep streets open and traffic moving. But the City of Excelsior Springs has built something just as important into its winter plan — people. Through its Neighbors Helping Neighbors and Snow Angels effort, residents can request assistance during snowy weather, connecting those who need help with volunteers willing to step in. It’s a small idea on paper: neighbors helping with winter needs. It’s a big idea in practice: designing a system where kindness is organized instead of accidental. Moving From Random Kindness to Reliable Care Most towns have generous people. What they don’t always have is a pathway. We all know the scenario. A heavy snow falls. An older resident worries about slipping. A person recovering from surgery looks at an icy driveway. Someone new to town hesitates to ask for help. In many communities, assistance depends on chance — Do ...

Every community spends a lot of time talking about growth — new businesses, new developments, new projects, new plans. But belonging rarely begins with something new.  It begins with something noticed. That’s why I love the idea behind Manchester’s February invitation: write a short note about what makes Manchester feel like home. Not a survey. Not a complaint form. Not a strategic plan. A letter. Residents are being asked to share a neighbor, a place, a memory, or an ordinary moment — then drop it in a red mailbox at City Hall or send it by email. Some of those notes will later appear in a public exhibit.  At first glance, it feels simple. But underneath, something important is happening. Communities don’t become stronger only because people invest money. They become stronger because people invest attention. The Civic Power of Small Stories Most of what holds a town together never makes headlines. It is the person who waves every morning at the same intersection. Th...

  Wow!  What a flurry of great ideas and programs being employed in Missouri’s Most Neighborly Cities to engage residents! Access the video of the discussion here . This discussion was held on Feb. 13, 2026. The Mo Neighborhoods workgroup discussion is a treasure trove of ideas and programs that: Build social capital Get your residents connected with each other Promote civic pride and participation Facilitate volunteerism Love local   Here’s some of what’s happening in Missouri’s Most Engaged Cities!! Dear, Manchester:  A civic pride campaign that encourages residents to write letters about a favorite place, memory Building Belonging Together:  Training to help neighbors plan a block party A Slice of History:  Fun activities that help your residents learn about local and Missouri history Strategic Planning for Neighborhoods:  Complete with toolkit! Methods for conducting a neighborhood cleanup program with an emphasis on recycling and keeping bulky ite...