Cactus Village Community

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Jul 08, 2003

When new people move into the neighborhood:

*Go over and introduce yourself?— take some cookies or a casserole

*Offer use of your phone until theirs is installed

*Offer use of tools or household items until theirs are unpacked

*Invite them to your home for a meal or just a visit

*Introduce them to other neighbors

*Show them around the neighborhood

*Share information about shopping, entertainment, doctors, services, and community resources

*Keep them up to date on developments in the neighborhood

*Invite them to social events

*Make sure they?’re included in community activities

*Offer your phone number for emergency contact

*Offer to watch their children while they run errands

*Invite their children to play with yours and teach your children how to be kind neighbors to them

*When people are ill, have new babies, or suffer a death in the family:

*Take them a meal
*Offer to run errands
*Watch their children for them
*Offer to drive their kids to or from school
*Check on them from time to time
*Visit and reassure them

**For senior adult neighbors:

*Offer to take them for an outing ?— to the park, the library, a restaurant, shopping, to a movie

*Sit with, read to, or just visit with them

*Help respond to mail or pay bills

*Run errands for them

*Take them to the grocery store or go for them

*Take out their trash containers and recycling bins on pick-up day and replace them

*Mow the lawn or rake the leaves

*Organize a group of neighbors to do painting or repairs

*Offer to keep a key to the house, so you can check on them

*Help them add your number to their phone memory to call in case of an emergency

*Get the names and numbers of their relatives and doctor

*Invite them for dinner or take dinner over and eat with them one evening

*Offer to do minor, routine maintenance like changing light bulbs

*Place the newspaper at their front door

*Take them to church, synagogue, mosque, etc

**When people are away:
*Offer to water plants
*Feed the pets
*Pick up the mail and newspaper
*Watch their house

In general:

*Organize a block party to meet the neighbors

*Invite someone who lives alone to dinner at your house ?— pick them up and take them home

*If something doesn?’t look right at a neighbor?’s house, check it out

*Help store household belongings for those who live in apartments

*Start a Block watch to reduce the risk of crime, using police officers as resources

*Rotate dinner preparation with a neighbor ?— fix enough for both families and drop it off or eat together

**Carpool

*Have neighbors who live alone let you know when
they are going out at night and when they expect to return

*Have neighbor children check with you when they arrive home if their parents aren?’t there
Give neighbors a friendly phone call once in awhile?…☺