Good Neighbor

A Word from Russell Minor, Director of Good Neighbor

Dr. Russell Minor, Director of Haven House Neighbors in all communities have assumed that friendships and relationships naturally form and are self-sustaining. But at CRI, we believe that we must intentionally develop relationships and friendships on our block to build whole people, neighborhoods and communities. Absence of these social structures produces dysfunctional outcomes like isolation, crime, and mistrust. The Good Neighbor initiative is the antidote to arrest this trend in our neighborhoods and cities at the grassroots level.

The Good Neighbor motto is:

"We are dedicated to remaking our city by making friends on our street."

Good Neighbor is a concrete strategy to take a city back, systematically, block by block. We must rebuild the relational foundation at the grass-roots level. We can e-mail, text, call and fax our friends and family members around the world, but often we do not know our neighbors living a few doors down.

In the Good Neighbor strategy, we:

Enlist willing, private citizens in all neighborhoods to make friends with the neighbors on their block.
Equip potential Block Connectors in a fun seminar, using practical strategies to build friendships, communicate effectively and develop a lifestyle of caring friendships on their block. Residents are asked to place a wooden “We Care” sign in the front yard of their home or apartment. Volunteers are provided a comprehensive Good Neighbor training kit and are given support with administration and neighborhood activities.
Encourage Block Connectors to meet together on a monthly basis to deepen their relationships, share ideas, deal in solutions, network, and just have fun! The transformational breakthrough occurs when dedicated block leaders come together from different neighborhoods across our city to get solutions.
Facilitate neighbors on a street to become caring friends, instead of isolated strangers – respecting, talking and walking together.

We welcome you to join with us from all neighborhoods in rebuilding community at the block level. There are countless stories on file from Block Connectors telling of the positive changes that happen to them and their neighbors as a result.

Hope you will join me,
Russell

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Equipping and Encouraging Gathering Dates for 2026

January 30
February 27
March 27
April 24
June 26
August 28
September 24

Overview

The Good Neighbor initiative brings together caring residents who are willing to reach out to their neighbors. Identified by a painted wooden “We Care” sign in their front yard, Good Neighbor Block Connectors are trained volunteers who turn strangers into friends on the block where they live. They may host block parties, take meals to a sick neighbor, help find a lost pet, share garden produce, mow a yard or just offer a listening ear. Through simple acts of kindness, Block Connectors are changing the world – one neighbor at a time!

National Night Out block party

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