Get to know the families that live around you. Help to reduce silence and isolation.
Meet the kids and talk to the parents so that they know you are there if they ever need help. Social connection and social support are the cornerstones of family well-being and child safety.
Parenting is challenging at times (and sometimes very often) – for all parents.
Acknowledging this and offering support goes a long way. Recommend resources such as SafeCare or Nurse Family Partnership. Both of these programs, offered through Humboldt County Public Health, work with new families, or growing families and offer lots of support and resources.
Support local sports’ teams.
Most teams don’t get the crowds of a high school football game. Find a game in progress at a neighborhood park, pick a team, and cheer on the players.
Offer to babysit so that parents can enjoy a night off.
Connect families to any of the 20 Community Pathway Sites, where resources can be accessed and referrals made.
Strengthen our neighborhoods for all people.
The Neighborhood Watch Program is a program that brings neighbors together to not only identify and combat crime; it also creates a sense of community and develops safer neighborhoods for all.
Watch out for each other.
If someone is sick or away for an extended period, take turns dropping off dinner or collecting the mail. If you have not seen a neighbor in a while, stop by their house to make sure everything is okay.
Show the kids in your neighborhood what it means to be a good neighbor.
Say hello when you see each other outside, and offering to do things like collect a family’s mail while they’re on vacation.
“Fill in” for a friend or neighbor when they can’t attend a child’s dance recital or soccer game.
It's not being nosy to show concern.
Sometimes the smallest actions – offering to carry groceries inside from the car, offering to mow the lawn when it gets overgrown – are the easiest to do.
Have a regular neighborhood block party or potluck.
Go beyond a one-time meet-and-greet and establish lasting connections. Draft a simple flyer and knock on neighbors’ doors to invite them. If you have not already, introduce yourself and open your home for a gathering in the near future.
Turn out as a group. Join your neighbors for the activity night of a local elementary school and meet area families that may not live right next door.
If you’re concerned about someone, reach out.
Two useful resources: Humboldt Domestic Violence Services or the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
Use the Child Protection Reporting Guide (CPRG) to determine if your concern rises to a level that requires a response from Child Welfare Services. Once you are in the CPRG scroll down and click the “GET STARTED” button. If the CPRG determines that no response by Child Welfare Services is needed you will find links to two resource documents, the Humboldt Community Resource List and the North Coast Resource Hub, on the right hand side bar. Both of these links list multiple services that could support the family you have concerns about.
Share Family First on Facebook and spread the word that there are ways to get involved.
Resources for Neighbors
