08/09/2026
๐ก ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐ป๐ฒ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ? ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ธ.
At our July GRO meeting we had a great discussion about Strong Blocks, we explored a simple idea inspired by the Strong Towns movement: resilient communities arenโt built from the top down, theyโre built ๐ป๐ฒ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฏ๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ, ๐ฏ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฏ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ธ.
One of the biggest takeaways? Some of our most important relationships are our weak ties, the neighbors we wave to, chat with while walking the dog, or run into on the sidewalk. Those everyday connections make neighborhoods feel safer, friendlier, and more resilient.
Building a Strong Block doesnโt have to mean organizing a huge event. It can be as simple as:
โ Inviting neighbors over for coffee on your front porch
๐ท Hosting an evening happy hour in your backyard
๐ฑ Starting a block chat using the Whatsapp app or an email chain
๐ Creating a little free library or puzzle exchange
โ๏ธ Checking in on neighbors after a snowstorm or during a heat wave
Small actions add up.
As the Strong Towns philosophy reminds us: donโt focus on a five-year plan, focus on the next smallest thing you can do.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐บ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ต ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฏ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ฎ ๐น๐ถ๐๐๐น๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ? Weโd love to hear your ideas in the comments. โค๏ธ
