Missouri Neighboring Advocate David L Burton Releases New Book, The Neighboring Playbook

 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Community development specialist and neighboring advocate David Burton has released a new book titled The Neighboring Playbook, a practical guide designed to help communities strengthen relationships, reduce isolation, and build a stronger culture of belonging neighborhood by neighborhood.

The book shares the story behind Missouri’s growing neighboring movement, including the development of Missouri Good Neighbor Week, the Engaged Neighbor Program, and community efforts that have encouraged thousands of acts of neighboring across the state.

Burton serves as a community development specialist with University of Missouri Extension and has spent years researching and teaching the importance of social connection, civic engagement, and neighborhood relationships. His work has helped position Missouri as a national leader in neighboring initiatives and community connection efforts, and lead to programs like Neighboring 101 and Show Me Neighborhood Art Month.

“The Neighboring Playbook is about more than simply being nice,” Burton said. “It is about helping people move from being aware of their neighbors to becoming engaged neighbors who intentionally create connection, trust, and belonging where they live.”

The book combines research, practical strategies, stories, and community examples to help individuals, neighborhoods, nonprofits, and local governments better understand how neighboring can strengthen communities. Topics include overcoming isolation, creating neighborhood culture, building trust through small actions, seeing neighboring as infrastructure and helping communities become more resilient through relationships.

"My intention with this book is to encourage other states and communities to develop their own good neighbor weeks following the model we have in place here in Missouri," said Burton. "I believe the book can serve as a valuable resource and the discussion guide can be used for group study and decision making."

Burton’s neighboring work has received state and national attention in recent years. In 2023, Missouri Good Neighbor Week was recognized as “Neighboring Program of the Year” by Neighborhoods USA, and thousands of Missourians now participate annually through acts of neighboring, local events, nominations, and storytelling campaigns.

The release of The Neighboring Playbook comes at a time when many communities are searching for ways to address loneliness, polarization, and declining social connection. Burton believes neighboring offers a practical and hopeful response.

“Strong neighborhoods do not happen automatically,” Burton said. “They are created one relationship at a time through intentional acts of connection.”

The book is now available on Amazon.

For more information about the Engaged Neighbor Program, Missouri Good Neighbor Week, or neighboring resources, visit the respect websites.

About David Burton

David Burton is a community development specialist with University of Missouri Extension based in Springfield, Missouri. He is the founder of Missouri Good Neighbor Week, creator of the Engaged Neighbor Program, and host of Neighboring 101. Burton is the author of multiple books focused on neighboring, community engagement, and the historic one-room schools of Missouri.