The 8 Front Doors Initiative
An initiative that encourages every resident within a neighborhood to get to know the neighbors behind the 8 front doors closest to their own.
2021 NEIGHBORHOOD: In 2021, the 8 Front Doors Initiative will invite residents who live between Kellogg Ave and Lincoln St and between the Arkansas River and Washington St in Wichita, Kansas to take the 8 Front Doors Challenge. This neighborhood is a section of what is known as SoCe, which is short for South Central, and is made up of approximately 600-800 homes.
2021 GOAL: The goal for 2021 is that every resident in SoCe will get to know the neighbors who live behind the 8 front doors closest to their own.
WHY: Celebrating and increasing neighbor-to-neighbor relationships strengthens a neighborhood. In his book The Abundant Community, John McKnight says, “The connections among local people are what awaken the power of families and neighborhoods to weave the social fabric of an abundant community.”
HOW: We will encourage residents to get to know the neighbors behind the 8 front doors closest to their own, and will see how these connections shape the neighborhood.
Be on the lookout for the following:
Introductory Letter
The Listening Team: A team of 10 high school and college students will be sent out to check in with residents, deliver block maps and neighboring postcards, and help encourage neighbors to get to know one another.
Nextdoor Updates: We will ask residents to sign up for Nextdoor, an app that can help neighbors connect with one another through a simple online platform.
WHO: The Neighboring Movement, the City of Wichita, and Wichita State University School of Social Work
Through the WSU partnership the Listening Team will also be recording information and delivering surveys that will help measure the impact of neighboring on the neighborhood.
