A hopeful neighborhood is one where neighbors share their gifts. Suzie Sallee lives in Saint Charles, Missouri. A few years ago, she started to connect with her neighbors on Nextdoor, a social media platform designed to bring neighbors together. What started with a few conversations with neighbors has flourished into ongoing neighborhood-focused projects, including Christmas and Easter baskets for neighborhood children, a block party in the summer, and a unique way to connect on Easter: a lawn full of Easter eggs.
On Sundays two weeks before Easter, Suzie puts plastic eggs, candy, books, and toys on her front lawn. She sits outside and greets neighbors as they pass by and invites them to take eggs and find prizes. If she isn’t outside, she has signs directing neighbors to help themselves. She added a huge blow-up panda bear this year along with a sign from The Hopeful Neighborhood Project that says, “I Love My Neighborhood!” Local news stations have even covered Suzie’s unique way to spread some neighborly goodwill.
Suzie has a gift of connecting with people. She uses this gift to bring a smile to the faces of kids and grown-ups alike when they stop by and pick up eggs and prizes. Other neighbors have stopped by to donate money for supplies and have offered to help fill eggs and put them out next year. The positive outcome is neighbors offering their gifts to make Suzie’s neighborhood a little more hopeful.
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