Front Steps -- Summer 1998

Front Steps

A newsletter for neighborhoods and the people who live in them -- Summer 1998
Front Steps is made possible in part by a grant from SAFECO Corporation.

Super hot weather can be super hard on people. When the mercury climbs, consider helping neighbors who find heat a challenge. Pick up extra supplies while at the store, lend a hand with chores in the heat of the day. Stay in closer touch with frail neighbors during heat waves. If anyone needs respite, call the fire department, the Red Cross or a senior center. Don't let summer's heat do anyone real harm.

In this Issue

Mediation

Multi-family yard sales

Volunteering

Neighborhood Mapping

Night Out Against Crime

Extending Neighborhood Watch

Porch Chat

It is discouraging that the energies bringing people together often flow from something negative — fear of crime or disasters, traffic noise or wandering pets. This issue of Front Steps responds with some practical suggestions. Please tell us what works where you live.

If you're lucky enough to be without a difficult problem, then you can work on the positives from the start. A block picnic or a half-day clean-up project will be a pleasant event as it happens. Plus you reconnect with people up and down your street.

The good news: even people who do get started because of tough problems often find the most important results are the surprises. The cooperative yard-sale described in this issue was first proposed at a meeting of neighbors who wanted to rid their area of a crack house. They succeeded. And look at what they have done since!

More later,

Putnam Barber, President
The Evergreen State Society

Front Steps -- Volume 2, Number 1, Summer 1998
Marie Sauter, Managing Editor
Kathryn True, Writer
Terri Nakamura, Designer
Andrew Harris, Communication Consultant

©1998 The Evergreen State Society www.tess.org
1122 East Pike Street, #444
Seattle, WA 98122-3934 USA
Email: frontsteps@tess.org
ISSN: 1098-1810

The Evergreen State Society works to encourage healthy communities by furthering nonprofits and informal organizations. It was founded in 1990 in Seattle.

This online version of Front Steps lacks the graphics and other features of printed copies. Free printed copies of Front Steps are available by post; please send a complete postal address to the email address above.

Multiple copies of Front Steps are available at no charge to individuals and groups who will distribute them on a non-partisan, non-sectarian basis to low- and moderate-income urban householders. Contact The Evergreen State Society for more information about becoming a distributor.

Before the Last Straw: Peacefully Solving Problems With Neighbors

You've had a long hard day and you're ready to relax and enjoy a nice iced soda. You recline in your lawn chair and begin to drift off... Then the neighbor's new puppy begins barking, just like it has every evening for the past two weeks. Whether it's a loud pup, noisy kids, invasive plants or wayward lawn sprinklers, tensions between neighbors can increase this time of year because everyone is spending a lot more time outside. In the heat of summer, small things can turn into big problems if concerns are not discussed and resolved.If you're facing such a problem and you've tried talking it out with your neighbor, you've tried coming up with positive solutions, and even counting to 10 isn't working anymore, consider an option that works more often than not with everyone satisfied. It's called mediation, and it's an effective and inexpensive alternative to a court of law or gritting your teeth when facing tough problems in the neighborhood.

In mediation a neutral person called a "mediator" helps two or more people involved in a dispute try to find a solution to their problem. Unlike a judge or an arbitrator, the mediator does not take sides or make decisions. With training or experience in how to resolve conflicts, the mediator's job is to help the people with the disagreement evaluate their goals and options in order to find their own solution.

Where to find a mediator? Start by looking in your yellow pages under "Mediation." There are 400 community mediation centers nationwide; these independent, nonprofit organizations generally provide their services free or at a low cost. To find a center in your area, contact the National Association for Community Mediation, 1726 M St. NW, Suite 500, Washington DC 20036; (202) 467-6226. Website address: www.nafcm.org/nafcm/

Your Turn

There are as many ways to approach solving a problem as there are to get into a problem in the first place, and we'd like the benefit of your experience. Please send us your success story about peacefully resolving a conflict with a neighbor. Write to Front Steps at frontsteps@tess.org or call toll-free, 1-888-259- 8020. Your stories will be helpful for upcoming issues.

Random Acts of Neighborliness

Invite a neighbor you'd like to get to know better over for an iced tea.
Look for ways to invite kids or someone without a yard to plant vegetables with you and share the produce.
Try saying "good morning" to everyone you meet on the street.
Introduce yourself to one new neighbor when they walk past your house.
Hire a neighborhood teen to help you with some yard work.

Rummaging Up Good Neighbors: How Block-Wide Garage Sales Knit Neighbors Together

Garage and yard sales are a popular fair-weather pastime. Group sales are even more successful, bringing bargain hunters from all over the city. A multi-yard sale can also bring surprising results when it comes to building community. Betty Johanna, of the Maple Leaf Neighborhood in Seattle, has organized a successful block-wide garage sale for the past five years, and she's impressed with how much better she now knows her neighbors.

"It gets people out on the streets talking with each other," she said. "There are a lot of things on this block that make us closer, and the sale is definitely one of them. It works because neighbors are working together and having fun."

What makes the Maple Leaf sale special is a charitable component. All the leftover items are packed up at the end of the day and handed off to people who have agreed to handle a specific kind of item for delivery to charities: books to the library, business attire to a project that helps homeless people who need clothing for job interviews, toys for a children's project.

"People like it because they get to clean out their cupboards, make some money and get things to their favorite charities," says Betty. "At end of the sale, people fill up wheelbarrows and go from house to house dropping off items, so the clean up is immediate. We also tax ourselves five percent of our profits and donate that money to a Maple Leaf kid project."

Neighbors have contributed to scholarship funds and helped an elementary school adapt its playground for children with disabilities.

If you like the idea, but you're not sure where to begin, here's Betty's list for how to have a successful sale:

Use an existing neighborhood group (block watch, homes association) to get in touch with others on your block. Betty brings a few options for the date of the sale to her annual "Night Out Against Crime" street potluck.

If you don't have a neighborhood group already in place, start small with one or two neighbors. Families that don't have enough for a sale on their own can combine with another family and take turns staffing it.

Decide on a date. One-day sales usually attract the most participants. If everyone can't do it on the same day this year, don't let that stop you. Just plan to try again another time.

Make fliers announcing your sale to put up on telephone poles (if it's legal in your town); in stores and other local bulletin boards; make extras for neighbors to pass out at work. Include a line about your planned donation to charity if you decide to tax yourselves.

Call the newspaper to get their rates and deadlines. In Seattle, it's cheaper to run an ad three days than only one. Betty has found an excellent response to an ad that reads,: "Five yard sales within a block of 1442 Sycamore Ave. S."

Check with local newsletters to see if they will announce the sale for free.

Make it easy for the shopper. Have prices on items and make sure things are neatly displayed.

Volunteer Power: The First Step to Being More Active in Your Community

A common reason people give for not being more active in their community is "Nobody has asked me to do anything." Well...why wait to be asked? Volunteering is a way that you can begin to get to know your neighborhood without being the person "in charge" or even making a long-term commitment. Many organizations have short-term projects that are a great way to test the waters of volunteer work and get to know something new about your area and the people who live there.

Your time and talents are valuable and will be welcomed by the youth program or senior citizen center down the street, at a neighborhood school or your church. If you're looking for a longer term project, it might take a little while to find a good match, so keep your eyes and ears open to learn more about the good things going on in your community.

This is a good way to start conversations with people who live near you. Tell them you are thinking about getting more active in the neighborhood and ask for suggestions. You'll learn about activities you might not have heard of otherwise.

If you talk to someone with negative feelings about volunteering, it's a reminder to make sure you find the right match for yourself. Look around before you decide on a job so you find one that will help you meet your own goals and bring you a sense of accomplishment. If you find yourself with a job that just isn't right for you, you can wrap things up and then look for another project.

To find other volunteer listings in your area, contact your neighborhood association, church council, United Way or the city parks department. If you have a Volunteer Bureau in your area (check the phone book), it brings people and needs together. Some newspapers run "help wanted" ads for volunteer jobs. You can use a computer to look for volunteer listings on the Internet (many schools and libraries can help you). Try Impact Online at http://www.impactonline.org/ or look for your local United Way's website (many are listed at http://www.unitedway.org/localway/uwsonweb.html ).

Neighborhood Map

A Neighborhood Map is a handy resource when it comes to planning neighborhood events. Use it to find out who wants to participate in a multi-family sale or invite neighbors to a crime watch meeting. If you hold an event, make sure to bring your map to update entries. If the idea of a Neighborhood Map is new to you, send email to FrontSteps@tess.org or call us toll-free at 888-259-8020 for some background and tips.

(The Summer 1997 issue of Front Steps had more ideas about how to make a neighborhood map. The text from back issues is available at our website (http://www.tess.org/) and printed copies will be mailed on request as long as supplies last; just send your request with your address to The Evergreen State Society at FrontSteps@tess.org .)

Take a National Night Out

Join millions of people in celebrating the 15th Annual National Night Out (NNO), a crime and drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch. This year's date is Tuesday, Aug. 4, 1998.

1997's event included people of all ages, law enforcement agencies, businesses and neighborhood organizations from 9,000 communities in all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases. Worldwide 30.5 million people participated.

People celebrate NNO with a all sorts of activities like block parties, ice cream socials, parades, flashlight walks and youth programs. To join free of charge, write: National Association of Town Watch, P.O. Box 303, Wynnewood, PA 19096, or call (610) 649-7055.

Neighborhood Watch is Not Only About Crime

Neighborhood watch organizations all across the country successfully help people work together to lower crime rates in their neighborhoods. But, the Crime Prevention Council of America reports that what really helps these watch groups thrive is getting involved in projects besides crime. In Bloomington, Indiana, watch groups sponsor community cleanups, find solutions to traffic problems and organize after school activities for young people. The Santa Fe Springs, California, Safe Neighborhood and Business Teams combine the needs for neighborhood emergency preparedness and crime prevention.

If you'd like to start a watch group in your own neighborhood, here are a few suggestions from the National Crime Prevention Council. For more ideas, write 1700 K Street, NW, Second Floor, Washington, DC 20006-3817. (202) 466-6272. Or http://www.weprevent.org/ .

Start by contacting your police or sheriff's office. Official endorsement can be very important for getting things off the ground and gaining credibility. In may communities, law enforcement agencies can provide information on local crime patterns, home security, crime prevention education and reporting.

When you do have a first meeting, you will need:

Fliers to publicize the time and place. (And don't count on flyers to bring out your neighbors. Be sure to invite people in person, too. Especially people you don't see much on the street or have chances to meet at other times.)

Someone to lead the discussion and brainstorm ideas. Use an agenda to keep things moving. Perhaps a crime prevention specialist is available from a local government who can help train members.

Neighborhood Watch signs and window decals. Home-made ones are effective if others aren't available.

A map with spaces for names, addressees and phone number of all households (use your neighborhood map if you have one).

Information about what a crime watch program can do from local agencies, the National Council and other sources.

To make it more fun:

-Bring snacks!

-Allow neighbors time to talk to each other.

-Don't forget your library can provide research materials, videos, computers and maybe even a a meeting space.

The Evergreen State Society and community-based organizations across the country cooperate to bring Front Steps to you and your family four times a year. This newsletter's goal is to pass along ideas about things you and your neighbors can do to make your neighborhoods safer, healthier and more attaractive places to live. This work is supported in part by SAFECO Corporation (www.safeco.com).

Permission is hereby granted to quote without alteration and with credit to The Evergreen State Society as the source.

Go back to the Spring 1998 issue (v.1, n.4). Go ahead to the Autumn 1998 issue (v.1, n.4).