How well do you know your neighbors? Can you name a handful of those who live close to you? According to the Pew Research Center, 28% of Americans know none of their neighbors by name.
But there's a new social networking website in the neighborhood that aims to change that. It's called Nextdoor. The idea is to bring back a sense of community to our neighborhoods.
Bruce and Cheryl Friesen live in the Lakes of Northwood subdivision in Wesley Chapel and they were looking for a way to connect with the neighbors they didn't know when they heard about Nextdoor.
They signed up and have already gotten about one-third of their neighbors, about eighty households, to do the same.
"Whenever we see a neighbor outdoors, they're fair game. We give them a little business card. We'll introduce ourselves and say we're from the neighborhood, sign up for Nextdoor. And word of mouth since then has really taken off," Bruce Friesen said.
"Everybody has an interesting story and the more people I get to know, and the more people I meet, the more amazed I am at who is out there," Cheryl Friesen said.
"Most of the folks who live here aren't from here and don't know each other," he said. "We drive into our garages and go into our own separate lives."
HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Nextdoor is a free online platform similar to Facebook but aimed at neighborhoods. Each neighborhood creates a private Nextdoor website that is password protected and accessible only to the residents of that neighborhood.
Every neighbor must verify their home address for security reasons. They do that in one of three ways:
A postcard with a unique code is sent to the home address
A phone call to a listed number registered to the home address
A credit card billing address which matches home address.
Since connecting with neighbors on Nextdoor, the Friesen's have helped organize block parties and other get-togethers. "We've put up pictures afterwards on Nextdoor so everybody can comment, Cheryl said. "And what we find is the people who haven't been there and see that there are people participating get a little more excited about showing up the next time."
Bruce Friesen is also a Sociology Professor and a firm believer in neighborly interaction. "When we're face to face, it takes a little bit more work and there's a little more risk involved but if we're able to manage that I think the connection we feel as human beings is irreplaceable."
Friday, May 24 2013 9:57 AM EDT2013-05-24 13:57:07 GMT
A 4-year-old K9 Officer, Ike, with Hernando County Sheriff Office K9 Unit passed away unexpectedly Thursday after an emergency surgery, Sheriff Al Nienhuis told us.
A 4-year-old K9 Officer, Ike, with Hernando County Sheriff Office K9 Unit passed away unexpectedly Thursday after an emergency surgery, Sheriff Al Nienhuis told us.
Friday, May 24 2013 8:44 AM EDT2013-05-24 12:44:14 GMT
Craft breweries from around the country including Tampa's Cigar City Brewing are toasting the troops with a beer aged with a unique ingredient that symbolizes America's pastime - baseball bats.
Craft breweries from around the country including Tampa's Cigar City Brewing are toasting the troops with a beer aged with a unique ingredient that symbolizes America's pastime - baseball bats.
Friday, May 24 2013 6:44 AM EDT2013-05-24 10:44:05 GMT
Whether the controversial Lens is ever constructed, the current St. Petersburg Pier is closing. This is the last weekend you can stroll along the iconic landmark or shop inside the inverted pyramid.
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Friday, May 24 2013 12:13 PM EDT2013-05-24 16:13:39 GMT
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Is there such a thing as a high-tech bikini body? When exercise and a healthy lifestyle still don't yield the results you want there is a newly approved FDA skin tightening device.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 5:53 PM EDT2013-05-21 21:53:22 GMT
The state admits it dropped the ball, but 51 year old Wes Diebold lost his license over a 2 dollar mistake.
Looking for a job is tough enough these days but how much tougher does having a suspended driver's license make things? 51 year old Wes Diebold doesn't know for sure if his suspended license was a roadblock.
Looking for a job is tough enough these days but how much tougher does having a suspended driver's license make things? 51 year old Wes Diebold doesn't know for sure if his suspended license was a roadblock.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 2:30 PM EDT2013-05-21 18:30:01 GMT
The Obridge Academy is a virtual school with a virtual Florida headquarters and a virtual track record of performance. But under new legislation awaiting the signature of Governor Rick Scott it could
The Obridge Academy is a virtual school with a virtual Florida headquarters and a virtual track record of performance.
Monday, May 20 2013 5:56 PM EDT2013-05-20 21:56:22 GMT
The weather is getting warm in the bay area and pest control experts say it's bringing out dry wood termites. "The phones are ringing off the hook now because the termites are swarming," said exterminator
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Friday, May 24 2013 6:44 AM EDT2013-05-24 10:44:05 GMT
Whether the controversial Lens is ever constructed, the current St. Petersburg Pier is closing. This is the last weekend you can stroll along the iconic landmark or shop inside the inverted pyramid.
Whether the controversial Lens is ever constructed, the current St. Petersburg Pier is closing. This is the last weekend you can stroll along the iconic landmark or shop inside the inverted pyramid.
Thursday, May 23 2013 12:29 PM EDT2013-05-23 16:29:23 GMT
Kmart has launched the latest in what appears to be an edgy string of commercials. In April, one of its commercial went viral for a play on words. Explaining the ease of shipping a product to a customer
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Friday, May 24 2013 5:25 AM EDT2013-05-24 09:25:59 GMT
As jurors in Jodi Arias' murder trial filed one by one from the courtroom after a dramatic five months of gut-wrenching testimony and gruesome photographs.
As jurors in Jodi Arias' murder trial filed one by one from the courtroom after a dramatic five months of gut-wrenching testimony and gruesome photographs.
