Today (September 28) is National Good Neighbor Day and at Apartment Life, we are celebrating! Read along to learn more about this annual holiday as a celebration of the connection, care, and life transformation that comes through neighboring.

The History of the Day

This holiday was created in the early 1970s by Becky Mattson of Lakeside, Montana. In 1978, United States President Jimmy Carter issued Proclamation 4601:

“As our nation struggles to build friendship among the peoples of this world, we are mindful that the noblest human concern is concern for others. Understanding, love and respect build cohesive families and communities. The same bonds cement our nation and the nations of the world. For most of us, this sense of community is nurtured and expressed in our neighborhoods where we give each other an opportunity to share and feel part of a larger family… I call upon the people of the United States and interested groups and organizations to observe such a day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.”

Why it Matters Now More than Ever

After the COVID pandemic and rise of AI, communities are more disconnected than ever. Pew Research found that 54% of U.S. adults said they feel isolated from others. 22% of Americans under 50 say they feel lonely or isolated all of the time, compared to just 9% of adults 50+. It can be easy in today's culture to order food online, have your shopping delivered, and simply bypass getting to know a neighbor. Whether it is your job as an Apartment Life Coordinator or not, you can take ownership of the culture in your neighborhood and begin to create an inviting atmosphere where true connection blossoms!

Life Transformation from Simple Neighboring 

At Apartment Life, we are facilitators of the neighboring experience for residents living in apartment communities. Stories like this one from Bradham at New Bern Apartments in Charlotte, North Carolina are why we do what we do!

“I ran into a resident in the hallway recently, and what started as a simple check-in turned into a really good conversation. For some time now, I’ve been intentionally inviting him to events and making sure he feels included. He is visually impaired, so I always take an extra moment to clearly share details and personally extend the invitation. Over the past few months, he has started attending more consistently, which has been so good to see.

He shared that he has made a new friend here in the building, and the two of them have now been coming to events together. What began as small conversations and invitations has now turned into connection for him.

During our conversation, he shared how much he has been enjoying the events and how inclusive they have felt to him. He expressed that even with personal anxieties, he has felt comfortable attending. In small but intentional ways, the environment that’s been created has helped relieve some of that pressure for him. He said he feels at ease showing up, engaging at his own pace, and naturally connecting with others.

He also shared that these events have led to genuine friendships, and that he now finds himself inviting others to join him. I’m just glad to see residents connecting, stepping out, and building real relationships right here in our community.”

The Power of Belonging

National Good Neighbor Day is a great time to remember that the simplicity of taking an apartment filled with people and turning it into a community radically transforms lives. Like this resident's story, we see the power of belonging begin to bloom when residents start to create community on their own. We call it: Care, Connect, Call. When you begin to care for someone and intentionally love them you can invite them into connecting with others. Once they feel cared for and connected with - it is easy to call them to do the same with others! We foster those connections with consistent presence, intentional check-ins and opportunities for residents to take ownership in shaping the culture of their community too. As neighbors become friends the atmosphere shifts from an event that is a "check-box" for residents to attend to an organic community they look forward to being a part of.

More Than a Day

While National Good Neighbor Day is celebrated once a year, it is a reminder for all of us to live out a lifestyle of neighboring all year long. Here are a few practical tips you can do that go beyond a resident event to engage your neighbors throughout the year.

• Invite your neighbor to join your morning walk or gym sesh (pets and kids welcome!).

• Ask about upcoming celebrations (birthdays, weddings, etc.) and drop off a card.

• Use holidays (or football season!) as opportunities to open up your home for a meal.

• Go together to trivia, live music, or Bingo Night at your local restaurant.

• Get a group to go shop the local farmer's market on a Saturday.

• Look on social media for upcoming local business Grand Public Opening events and go with a neighbor to support locally-owned boutiques, coffee shops, or businesses.