There is an old story told by minister Harry Emerson Fosdick about an experience he had as a boy growing up in New York. His mother sent him outside to pick a quart of raspberries. He didn’t want to do it. He approached the chore reluctantly, and that container seemed to fill painfully slowly. Then he changed the challenge in his mind. Instead of picking the quart his mother requested, he decided to surprise her by picking two quarts. Suddenly, everything changed. The raspberries hadn’t changed. The chore hadn’t changed. The amount of time he had hadn’t changed. His mother hadn’t changed. His attitude changed. I’ve been thinking about that story because I believe it applies to how we approach our neighborhoods and communities. It is easy to look around and focus on everything that needs to change. We want local government to do more. We wish people volunteered more. We complain that nobody knows their neighbors. We wonder why someone doesn’t organize an event, clean up the park, welcom...

  What if $25 could do more than buy a tank of gas, a cup of coffee or a bag of groceries?  What if it could start something? During Missouri Good Neighbor Week, Sept. 28–Oct. 4, I’m putting that question to the test right here in Republic. Thanks to an approved $500 grant from Drop Dead Generous , and a matching donor creating a $1,000 community-wide experiment in kindness. That money will purchase forty $25 gift cards from local businesses. Then the fun begins. Throughout Good Neighbor Week, those gift cards will appear in unexpected places around town—on gas pumps, library tables, at local coffee shops and cafés, and in other everyday places where Republic residents go about their daily lives. Each gift card will be sealed in an envelope with a simple message:  “This is for you, neighbor.” Inside will be a note explaining the experiment and inviting recipients to share their stories. Where did you find the gift? What did $25 mean to you that day? How did receiving an u...

  St eve Hartman’s “On the Road” stories (on CBS) provide powerful insights into the essence of community engagement and the importance of human connection. Through his heartwarming and inspiring narratives, Hartman showcases the transformative power of compassion, cooperation, and collective action in communities. One of the central lessons from Hartman’s stories is the value of empathy. His segments often highlight individuals who go above and beyond to support one another, revealing how small acts of kindness can foster a sense of belonging.  For instance, stories about people who step in to help neighbors in distress illustrate that genuine concern for others can strengthen community bonds. This empathy encourages a culture where individuals feel supported and valued, essential for vibrant community engagement. Hartman emphasizes the significance of storytelling in building community. Each narrative he presents not only shares an uplifting experience but also encourages vi...

  Never doubt the power of a friendly wave. That is the core lesson that we can take from this new video story by Steve Hartman . This installment of "On the Road" aired July 10, 2026 and is titled, " 4-year-old heals "inner loneliness" by bringing his neighborhood together ." In this story, the old adage "it takes a village to raise a child" was turned on its head when it took a child to unite a village in North Carolina. Never doubt the power of a friendly wave. Hartman's story reminded me of a great article in Rural Missouri in 2026 about Alonzo Smith in Butler, Missouri. He waves from his front yard and nearly everyone waves back. Never doubt the power of a friendly wave. Each of these stories reminded me of Darrell Hastings, one of our "Most Engaged Neighbors" in 2025 from Aurora, Missouri. I wrote about Darrell in a 2025 blog post . Three solid examples that prove, we should never doubt the power of a friendly wave. While res...

  The recent Gallup study provides one of the strongest pieces of evidence I have seen in recent years for why Missouri Good Neighbor Week should continue to focus on celebrating, recognizing, and making acts of neighboring visible. The survey suggests that kindness is not simply something people do; it is something people learn and repeat after seeing it modeled by others . Key Findings from the Gallup Study The survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults found that: 60% of Americans say they often or very often see people treating others with kindness and respect.  65% say they personally experienced an act of kindness from someone in their community within the past week. People who experience kindness are significantly more likely to feel comfortable initiating kindness toward strangers themselves. Nearly 8 in 10 people who frequently received kindness said they were very comfortable extending kindness to others. Americans who regularly witness kindness are much more likely to ...

  What does it look like to build a more connected state? Not through massive programs or one-time events. But through thousands of small, consistent acts. That is what the final 2025 Missouri Good Neighbor Week “acts of neighboring” database report reveals. Across the state, people took time to care for one another in ways that often go unnoticed. They mowed a neighbor’s yard. They brought in trash bins. They shared food when it was needed most. They checked in, sat on porches, and had conversations that turned strangers into neighbors. Individually, these actions may seem small (although we recorded over 42,000 of them). Collectively, they tell a different story. They show us what neighboring actually looks like in real life. The most common acts were practical. Helping with everyday needs. Taking care of spaces. Showing up in quiet, consistent ways. These are the kinds of actions that don’t require planning or permission. They simply require awareness and willingness. ...

  The fifth annual  Missouri Good Neighbor Week (Sept. 28 - Oct. 4)  has a new website, a new theme and new award categories and community resources. The new theme for 2026 reflects the biggest change to Missouri Good Neighbor Week: "A year of neighboring activity. A week to celebrate it." "The Missouri Good Neighbor Week website is open now for all nominations and for the reporting of acts of neighboring. We hope Missourians will help us document activity and make nominations all year-long," said David Burton, community development specialist with University of Missouri Extension and founder of Missouri Good Neighbor Week. Award winners will be announced during Missouri Good Neighbor Week as a way to celebrate neighbors statewide. Activities and events are still planned for the week too, along with individual acts of neighboring. "We are still encouraging activity and events during the week too," said Burton. "Events and individual acts of neighborin...

  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 ...