Giving Compass' Take:

• This Futurity post discusses a new study which shows how neighborly outreach and positive attitudes foster stronger community relationships. 

• How can we develop these neighborhood ties, especially in local nonprofit work? What is the best way to make sure we connect with out neighbors? 

• Here are six ways you can get more involved with your community.

While most research examining the relationship between people and place has looked at individual characteristics reflecting lifecycle stages, such as marital status, family size, and children’s ages, the new study instead looked at potential mechanisms that link neighborhood disadvantage with neighborly attitudes and behaviors.

Under the right conditions, community matters in the 21st century — and it can still positively affect lives, says Gregory Sharp, an assistant professor in the sociology department at the University at Buffalo.

“We know that living in disadvantaged neighborhoods is associated with dissatisfaction, but the effect is amplified by fear, isolation, and a lack of social support,” says Sharp, an expert in urban and community sociology. “Having frequent conversations with neighbors, doing favors for one another, and watching each other’s home makes a difference. This is neighboring.”

Read the full article about tying communities together by Bert Gambini at Futurity.