Merriam-Webster defines community as “a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society.”
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on this. Does living next door to someone or living in the same city automatically make us a community? I believe there’s more to it. Living next to someone but not even knowing their name doesn’t foster any sense of community.
Growing up in a small town, things were different. We knew not only our next-door neighbors but everyone in town. Some might call this intrusive, feeling like everyone is always in their business. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize that truly knowing the people in your neighborhood is a form of care. It means you check in on them, ask about their day, their children, their grandchildren, because you know them and their stories. And when someone is in need, they step up. They might mow your lawn if they know you’re struggling or bring you a meal when you’re sick. They come together for fundraisers or lend a helping hand, not because they have to, but because that’s what it means to be part of something bigger than yourself.
For me, community is about “a group of people living together within a larger society who comes out onto their front porch to say hello, share a meal, and connect human to human, heart to heart.”
This is the kind of community we aim to create at Community Forever Village. We invite you to be a part of it. We want to know you, care for you, and ask that you extend that same care to your chronically homeless neighbors. Together, let’s create a new kind of community—one where we sit on our front porches, break bread together, and get to know and love one another in meaningful, lasting ways. Human to human, heart to heart.
Join us in building this new kind of community.
For more information on Community Forever Village and how you can become involved in this effort to help our homeless neighbors please contact us here!
We are located at: 2505 W. University Dr., Suite 1010, Box 265, Denton, TX 76201.
