Achieving ‘Mainstream Green’ is key to a more sustainable economy. Read the new report on the CMO Sustainability Accelerator hub to learn more and take action.
Tax preparation and financial services provider H&R Block is teaming up with neighborhood social network Nextdoor for the second consecutive year on the “Make Every Block Better” initiative.
The two companies will work with nominators and local volunteers in the 10 neighborhoods they selected to help bring proposed projects to life, as well as identifying and working with professionals and local businesses who can help maximize those projects’ impact on their local communities.
The projects in the first two years of “Make Every Block Better” will impact a total of 20 states and some 2.3 million local community residents.
The 10 projects chosen for this year were:
- Del Valle, Texas: Building a new community garden with ground and raised beds to create an accessible space for residents to gather, submitted by Patricia Burton.
- Gilmanton, N.H.: Building a new youth basketball court to connect families through sports, submitted by Katie Bass.
- Huntington, W. Va.: Transforming a plot of land in the center of the town into a community space for movie nights, farmers markets, and more, submitted by Holly Mount.
- Louisville, Ky.: Creating a communal space for neighbors to gather for barbeques and form stronger connections, submitted by Anna Newman and Kirk Stewart.
- Madison, Wis.: Upgrading a local park with seating and garden beds creating a space for neighbors to congregate, submitted by Jennifer Ondrejka.
- Omaha, Neb.: Bringing a local community center back to life with exterior improvements, submitted by Nichole Schumacher.
- Seattle: Creating a community-centric mural that brings people together and improves the adjacent park, submitted by Phil Scroggs.
- Waldorf, Md.: Building new little libraries for the community to use and bringing people together to help design and paint the libraries, submitted by Andrea Stockton Barton.
- West Milford, N.J.: Upgrading a 50-year-old playground to create a better space for local families to enjoy and connect, submitted by Diane Jansson.
- Wilmington, N.C.: Building a community garden to create a space for five local neighborhoods to come together, submitted by Jordan Timpy.
Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar said in a statement, “Pride in place, and the renewed importance of all things local, is energizing neighbors across the U.S. to celebrate what they love most about the place they call home. This continued partnership with H&R Block enables people to form real-world bonds within one of the most important communities in their lives—their neighborhood.”
H&R Block president and CEO Jeff Jones added, “We know the negative impacts social isolation and loneliness can have on individuals. Finding ways to connect and get to know your neighbors is increasingly important. Access to neighborhood spaces increases the likelihood that people will connect with each other and ultimately makes all of our communities better. We’re proud to partner with Nextdoor to increase conversations and drive meaningful connections through these projects.”