The Power of Community Gardens
In my neighborhood in Minneapolis, we’ve learned firsthand the transformative power of a community garden. They bring people together who...
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Katy Engle
- Jun 9
- 3 min
Creating a Neighborhood Directory Connects Neighbors
During one particularly harsh winter, I worried about my house-bound neighbor. I wondered if the cold temperatures and snow had kept her...
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Penny Pinch
- Apr 21
- 3 min
Every Day is Earth Day
A few weeks ago, my five-year-old came home from school repeating the mantra, “Every day is Earth Day.” For several days, anytime we...
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Dietrich Hunter
- Apr 7
- 2 min
Operation Easter
In late March 2020, as Chicago was shaking off winter and welcoming spring, my wife and I decided to celebrate Easter in a new way...
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Courtney Rose
- Feb 14
- 4 min
25 Ways to Love Your Neighborhood
While neighborly love and kindness is important all year long, we’re especially mindful of its importance as we approach Valentine’s Day....
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Pacia Anderson
- Feb 9
- 4 min
Community Care on Black Love Day
Although my introduction to Black Love Day/Akoma happened several years ago, the impact of the experience still resonates with me today....
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Jarred Irby
- Jan 19
- 2 min
We Need Each Other
American television shows often reflect underlying themes about family and culture. For instance, on The Simpsons there is a sharp...
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Rici and Phil Skei
- Jan 5
- 2 min
Doing Harm While Trying to do Good
Consider this: hopeful people in a hopeful neighborhood can cause harm while trying to do good. For those of us seeking to cultivate...
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Justin Rose
- Dec 15, 2021
- 3 min
Substitute Santa
Every year at our church we have a Christmas Eve service which is led by the children’s ministry. It is always endearing to see the...
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Rici and Phil Skei
- Dec 2, 2021
- 2 min
Localizing Your World
You are living in a special place. I mean, there is no neighborhood in the world like yours. The people who live in your neighborhood...
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Sara Johnson
- Nov 17, 2021
- 3 min
A Note from Your Grieving Neighbor
I lost my dad last summer, which made me a card-carrying member of the Grief Club. It’s not a club I wanted to join, but now that I’m...
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Danielle Tietjen
- Oct 28, 2021
- 2 min
Let the Water Speak
We all rely on water as a part of our daily lives. We require it for nourishment, cleanliness, cooking, and so much more. Water is so...
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Danielle Tietjen
- Oct 21, 2021
- 2 min
Harvest Pumpkin Giveaway
I live in a low-wealth, urban center of Minneapolis. Kids here don’t often get the same kind of opportunities suburban and rural kids do....
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Danielle Tietjen
- Oct 14, 2021
- 3 min
Mobilizing Neighbors After a Crisis
Last night, just as our family finished watching a movie, we heard a crash. It was so loud that my son dropped to the ground and covered...
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Lydia Krug Benda
- Oct 7, 2021
- 4 min
The Stories We Tell
Every night when I was a young child, I begged my father to tell me stories from his youth. He called them, “School of Hard Knocks,” and...
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Danielle Tietjen
- Sep 30, 2021
- 4 min
Hear the People
It was a cold day in March when I made the two-block walk to the neighborhood community center in the park. The path was lit with...
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Danielle Tietjen
- Sep 16, 2021
- 2 min
The Way We Care for One Another
The last month has seen both of our cars in the shop multiple times. It has been frustrating to navigate our family’s needs and errands...
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Lydia Krug Benda
- Sep 2, 2021
- 2 min
Being There
I painted our house the other day. It’s a small, ranch-style house, so don’t get too impressed. My dad and father-in-law chipped in, too....
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Danielle Tietjen
- Aug 26, 2021
- 3 min
Community Garden Adventures: A Toddler Runs Amok
This past Sunday we hosted a gathering at our community garden. It was a time for neighbors to come together, help weed the plots,...
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Danielle Tietjen
- Aug 12, 2021
- 2 min
The Best and the Most
Each park in our city has a playground and oftentimes a water feature. A block from our house is our park, and it has a wading pool right...
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Stories
"A good story makes you thankful to be alive because it reminds you that while sometimes painful, life is indeed beautiful and even magical."
— Donald Miller