A Year of Neighboring Activity, A Week to Celebrate It

 

Missouri Good Neighbor Week has always been about one thing: reminding us that the people who live closest to us matter most.

But this year, we are making an important shift.

Our new theme says it clearly: “A Year of Neighboring Activity, A Week to Celebrate It.”

At first glance, that may sound like a simple slogan. In reality, it represents something much bigger. It marks the evolution of Missouri Good Neighbor Week from a single annual event into a year-round movement.

For years, we encouraged Missourians to do something intentional during the week of September 28 through October 4. Host a gathering. Check on a neighbor. Deliver cookies. Write a thank-you note. Organize a block cleanup. And thousands did.

But neighboring was never meant to be seasonal.

It was never meant to be squeezed into one week.

It is something that happens on ordinary Tuesdays in February, on hot evenings in July, on snowy mornings in January. It happens when someone notices a porch light left on. When someone picks up trash along the curb. When someone sits with a grieving family. When someone organizes a walking club at the local park. When someone invites a new family over for dinner.

Those moments don’t wait for a calendar reminder.

So beginning this year, we are accepting reports of Acts of Neighboring and award nominations all year long. If you host a game night in March, it counts. If you shovel snow for three homes in January, it counts. If you help organize a neighborhood art display in June, it counts.

Neighboring counts anytime.

And then, when we reach September 28 — National Good Neighbor Day — we won’t be asking, “What are you going to do this week?”

Instead, we will be able to say, “Look what Missouri has already been doing.”

The week of September 28 through October 4 will become a statewide celebration. Cities will issue proclamations. Local leaders will recognize outstanding neighbors. Schools, churches, businesses, and civic groups will highlight stories of kindness and connection. We will announce totals, share impact data, and spotlight communities that are building stronger neighborhoods.

The week becomes a reveal moment — a spotlight — a statewide pause to celebrate what has been quietly growing all year long.

There is something powerful about that shift.

It lowers pressure. You don’t have to “get it right” during one week. You don’t have to feel like you missed your chance. It also increases participation. When neighboring is seen as a daily habit instead of a special event, more people step in.

And perhaps most importantly, it strengthens our long-term vision.

If Missouri is going to become the most neighborly state in America, it won’t happen because of one great week. It will happen because thousands of small, consistent actions ripple across 114 counties and independent cities, building trust, belonging, and what we call “civic muscle.”

Strong neighborhoods support strong cities. Strong cities support a strong state.

Neighboring is not sentimental. It is foundational. It increases trust. It reduces loneliness. It improves public safety. It strengthens schools. It supports local government. It builds resilience during emergencies. It makes communities places where people want to stay.

Missouri Good Neighbor Week is simply the moment we gather to celebrate what has already been lived out.

So here’s the invitation:

Be an engaged neighbor in January.
Be an engaged neighbor in April.
Be an engaged neighbor in August.

And when September 28 arrives, join us as we celebrate a year of neighboring activity — together.

Because neighboring happens every day.

We just pause once a year to celebrate it.

WRITTEN BY

David L. Burton

Take the Engaged Neighbor pledge and become part of a movement! The pledge outlines five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge at https://nomoregoodneighbors.com. Individuals who take the pledge do get special invitations to future events online and in person. Contact the blog author, David L. Burton via email at dburton541@yahoo.com.