Some holidays ask you to buy something. While everyone loves a great gift, what gift is better than just being there for the people who live around you?
If doing something nice for your neighbors sounds like a great idea, you can celebrate National Do Something Good For Your Neighbor Day on May 16 every year. At Ghertner & Company, we think this holiday is great as a whole, but it goes even further when an association community is involved.
Let’s take a closer look at the meaning of this holiday and what you can do this year to benefit your HOA.
What Is National Do Something Good For Your Neighbor Day?
Founded in 2009, the idea of National Do Something Good for Your Neighbor Day is straightforward: Treat the people around you the way you'd want to be treated.
The belief behind the holiday is that good things happen when people work together to lift themselves up.
Since the holiday's official recognition in 2018 as a national holiday, it has grown steadily. Today, over 100 cities in the United States recognize it. The best part is, even if your area doesn't, you can still celebrate with your neighbors by coordinating a day of kindness on May 16!
This leads to the biggest question about the holiday: What can you do for your community?
Why Neighborly Kindness Matters
A great community isn’t something that just appears overnight. Good neighbors will make good communities built through small repeated moments of kindness. This can be as simple as knowing your neighbor’s name or waving when you drive by.
When you make the effort to show that you appreciate your neighbors, the social fabric of your community is strengthened. In an HOA setting, the residents share a lot of the space in communities. From walls to green spaces and rules. Looking out for each other makes living in an organized community more harmonious and easier to manage when questions arise.
Simple Ways to Help Your Neighbor
The best part about helping a neighbor is not needing a plan or budget. In fact, being a great neighbor on this holiday can take five minutes or less.
Some easy ways you can help a neighbor include the following:
Help bring a trash bin to the curb on garbage day
Offer to weed a flower bed
Ask if there's anything a neighbor needs when you're running errands
Bake something and drop it off
Write a short note about what you appreciate about your neighbor
Introduce yourself to someone you haven’t met
It doesn't take much effort to celebrate this holiday, but it can help build a stronger community over time.
Community Ideas for HOAs and Neighborhoods
HOA community ideas don't have to be elaborate to land well. A few worth considering for your board can be:
A welcome card or small gift basket for new residents
A community board or outdoor bulletin post celebrating a neighbor
A potluck, block party, or casual outdoor gathering
A shared cleanup of common areas or walking paths
Joining forces with neighbors to spruce up shared spaces, whether cleaning a local park, weeding a flower bed, or picking up litter, makes the surroundings more enjoyable for everyone. That kind of activity also reinforces what HOA life is supposed to be about: a community that takes pride in where it lives.
At Ghertner & Company, we’ve seen that communities that come together to help each other out throughout the year are the ones that consistently have beautiful landscapes, happier neighborhoods, and are more appealing to potential homeowners looking to invest in a true community.
Acts of Kindness That Cost Nothing
As you can see from these examples, money doesn't have to change hands for kindness to mean something. Some of the most effective random acts of kindness for neighbors require nothing but attention and a little time.
Check in on an elderly or disabled neighbor
Carry groceries to the door
Hold the elevator
Share a favorite recipe written out by hand’
Let a neighbor know when their car lights are on
These things are easy to forget in a busy week. May 16 is a good excuse to remember them.
How to Keep the Spirit Going Year-Round
One day of kindness is a start. But the communities that function best are the ones where the spirit carries forward. Boards and residents alike can build on this holiday in a few practical ways.
Set up a community interest group or social committee
Host a quarterly get-together
Create a shared space where neighbors can post resources, needs, or offers to help
Acknowledge residents publicly when they do something notable for the community
At the end of the day, you don’t need to have a year of grand gestures, but consistently practiced habits that contribute to a positive community culture.
Build a Stronger Community All Year With Ghertner & Company
If you want your community to be great, celebrating National Do Something Good for Your Neighbor Day is a great start. However, the best communities benefit from kindness year-round, and that starts with following a great example from your association management team.
Ghertner & Company brings more than five decades of HOA management experience to communities across Middle Tennessee. We’re ready to show you how your community can flourish with our help and your kind acts. Contact us today to learn how we can help your association operate at its best.