The contrasting views and convictions stirred in this year’s Presidential campaign seemed to divide an entire country. But this event also provided an unique opportunity to see firsthand how building community can be a powerful force in bringing us back together. At Nextdoor, we had the honor of a front seat to this drama, and what we witnessed left us encouraged and inspired.
In the days following the election, we reached out to members in neighborhoods across the country, asking them if, and how, the election had affected their communities. The results weren’t surprising to us: more than three-quarters of neighbors said that their neighborhood has historically had a strong sense of community, and over half of neighbors said that their community has not become more or less divided since the election; rather, it’s stayed about the same.
Some neighbors have gone a step further – creating gathering spaces to discuss community issues, hosting block parties, supporting local political groups, volunteering, and increasing their involvement with local schools, churches, or community organizations. It is clear that no matter the apparent political disagreements in America, neighbors across the country continue to experience a strong sense of community where they live. We’re heartened to see the overwhelming potential for good that is made possible by simply coming together.
Additionally, members across the country used Nextdoor to catalyze community engagement in many other inspiring ways. From locating a missing woman, to fundraisers for neighbors in need, and even, incredibly, the donation of an organ to a sick neighbor, we’ve seen it. From help finding lost dogs, nominating fellow neighbors for “Good Neighbor” awards, welcoming neighbors for trick-or-treating, and countless other neighborly acts, we celebrate the incredible ways technology brought neighbors into one another’s lives in 2016.
This is what drives us, and we have even bigger plans for 2017. More than 75% of neighborhoods in the United States are utilizing Nextdoor, and we’re committed to reaching every single one. Soon our members in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, will soon be joined by neighbors in countries across the globe.
Thank you for being a part of our Nextdoor community and serving each other every day. 2017 is going to be a tremendous year of continued growth for Nextdoor and our optimism is founded in the exciting new ways members will engage their neighbors and our partners. Happy New Year!
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