Thirty Ideas On How To Meet Your Neighbors

Walk your "Perimeter of Faith" on a Saturday morning and be ready to casually say hello and introduce yourself as a neighbor to anyone who may be:

• Having a garage sale,
• Watering their lawn,
• Coming out to pick up the paper,
• Washing their car,
• Mowing the lawn or doing yard work,
• Just happen to be outside, etc.

Initiate a Neighborhood Watch and meet all your neighbors at the meeting.

Initiate a Block Garage Sale, or...

Have your own garage sale. Put a garage flier at the doors of all your neighbors. When people walk up (versus those who drive up) be sure to say hello and ask them if they are your neighbors.

If you have fruit trees in your yard, pick the fruit, put them in small bags and share them with your neighbors.

Initiate car pools to...work or school.

Be ready to respond to an emergency. When you hear the ambulance or the fire truck, go to that home and make yourself available.

Identify homes with children the same age as your children. Meet the neighbors to bring the children together so they can play.

Be sensitive to the elderly in your neighborhood. Perhaps they may need a ride to the doctor, voter center, store, help picking up a prescription, etc.

Offer to help a neighbor with his yard work.

If you are involved in or desire to host a business party type plan...(Tupperware, Jewelry, Nuskin, etc.) give and invitation to your neighbors.

Perhaps your are in support of voter registration, etc. and you are willing to walk your perimeter of faith and share with each house materials/information for voting.

When there is a tragedy in your neighborhood...death, accident, sickness, etc. ...provide a meal, deliver a care, etc.

When involved in a repair project borrow tools or even seek assistance from neighbors...or assist them in the same way.

Let your children lead the way. If the toy they are playing with flies over into the neighbor's yard, see this as an opportunity to put a Face to the Front yard.

Make an effort to meet the parents of kids in T-ball, soccer, little league, ballet class, gymnastics, etc. team and see if they live in your "Perimeter of Faith."

If you like the color of a home, the landscaping, etc. ask them for information regarding their accomplishments.

If you live in an apartment complex meet neighbors...

• Using the laundry room,
• Enjoying the pool facilities, using the workout room,
• Arriving or departing from the garage parking area you share,
• Those visiting the apartment manager's office,
• Out on their deck near yours,
• The community mailbox area, etc.

Meeting people at the neighborhood grocery store, drug store, etc.

Bake something...cupcakes, cookies, etc., and share them with your neighbors.

Initiate a block Fourth of July celebration for all the children.

Initiate a block Bar-B-Que for the summer.

If you have a trade (seamstress, painter) put a sign in your front window or yard advertising your services.

If the neighbors you know are going out of town, offer to pick up their newspaper and mail for them.

Watch for car lights being left on and when you contact your neighbor, introduce yourself and get their names.

If you see a neighbor with a care that won't start or other problems, offer to assist.

At a nearby playground, track or park, be sensitive to those who are there that might be neighbors.

If you have a swimming pool, ping pong table, etc., invite your neighbors and/or children over to play. Often children will attract children over to your home. Find out from the children the names and number of their house. If they are small, you may want to call the parent or walk the children home to establish trust between parents/neighbors.

When attending school functions, PTA meetings, etc., be sensitive to identify neighbors.

If the PG&E goes out in your neighborhood, either offer to assist others with candles, flashlights, etc. or perhaps borrow them yourself.