Project Type

Logo design, icon design, vector art, graphic design, social post design, ad design, flyer design, newsletter writing

Tools

Adobe Illustrator, Substack

Description

When I moved into a new house in 2022, one thing I missed about my previous address was the volunteer neighborhood association, which was very well organized and made residents feel like part of the community. I wanted to recreate that experience, so when I found a casual Facebook group for my new neighborhood, I reached out to the administrator about establishing a neighborhood organization. When the admin moved shortly afterward, I took over moderator duties and built more structure by creating a logo for the neighborhood and initiating and writing a monthly Substack newsletter featuring nonpartisan issues that impact or interest neighbors.

Though the Sunshine Gardens + Fairbanks Shores Neighborhood Group is not ready to formalize with the county, the organization has seen positive results in terms of engagement and connection. I monitor group member requests carefully to limit spam accounts and ensure only actual neighbors are approved to view and post content. Group membership has increased by 153% in the past two years, and there are still plenty of neighbors to reach. Members participate in conversations, share information, and contribute to a list of neighbor-approved business and service recommendations. As a result, members are now more familiar with their neighbors.

One neighbor even wrote me the following message: "I appreciate your efforts to bring a sense of community to our neighborhood! This was my seventh Halloween in this neighborhood, and I’ve never seen so many trick-or-treaters. I feel like it was because of the Facebook group. Keep it up. 👍🏼"