Gifts

After last week’s challenge to meet a neighbor, I’ve been a little nervous.  I was out-of-town all weekend, and that left only a few short days before my deadline.  What if I didn’t meet someone?  So, I’ve been waiting and watching...

It’s never too early to start learning about building community. In Sarasota County, FL babies joined teenagers and younger kids in a forum called Community Data 2.0: A NeighborKID Perspective, the fourth workshop in a year-long, county-wide series that...

At the close of my first day working for Grassroots Grantmakers I found myself staring at a stack of books my supervisor, Janis, had left for me to read.  I thumbed through a couple of short packets in the...

"Mike Butler integrates theory and his own practice like no one else," Peter said of the conversation he and John had with the Longmont, CO public safety chief, who has a lifetime of experience creating a restorative community and implementing...

Last week I challenged you (and myself) to name our neighbors.  Knowing someone’s name is fundamental to relationship building.  It’s the start of our story, and when you take time to learn someone’s name you show you value them.  I...

From July 7 – 12, I had the opportunity to attend the Toronto Summer Institute on Inclusion, Diversity and Community for the first time.  I can easily say that it was life-changing experience. The Institute is a gathering of people...

Mr. Rogers had it right when he sang, “Won’t you be my neighbor?”  While Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood was idyllic, many of the elements of the show highlight basic principles of Asset Based Community Development. He spent each half hour highlighting the...

Our Ashland Gift Circle has a tradition of surprising people with amazing organic desserts. The evening before meeting there was a request for help washing windows, and the urge to make strawberry pie overtook me. Berries were gathered from...