People across the country have become increasingly aware of—and concerned about—the division and disconnection in our everyday lives. Awareness is the first step toward solving a problem; the next step is taking action.

Enter National Good Neighbor Day on September 28. It’s a day dedicated to simple acts of kindness—whether that means sharing a quick hello, passing along a plate of baked goods, or teaming up on a neighborhood improvement project.

President Jimmy Carter first established the holiday by proclamation in 1978. Congress later shifted the official date from the third Sunday of September to September 28. As the movement has grown, so has the length of the celebration. Missouri launched its first Missouri Good Neighbor Week in 2022, and San Francisco joined in last year with an immensely successful inaugural San Francisco Good Neighbor Week. This year, even more cities and states are launching week-long celebrations of their own.

Upsizing the Spirit: From One Day to an Entire Week

In Orlando, Florida, neighbors aren’t stopping at 24 hours. The city is launching Orlando Good Neighbor Week (September 28 – October 4) to build a stronger sense of local pride.

“We hope to celebrate and honor local communities to develop a sense of ‘we-ness’ across Orlando. In other words: What makes people proud to call this city home?” — Megan Ginn, Project Founder

Drawing inspiration from around the nation, Orlando is introducing Good Neighbor Nominations (pioneered in Missouri) to spotlight standout locals, while hosting community events modeled after San Francisco’s neighborhood gatherings.

Big Impact Starts with One Small Act

Organizing a city-wide week takes teamwork, but the spark almost always starts with a single person making a genuine effort to connect.

“Every story I hear of good neighboring starts with one thing: someone making a first connection. This could be taking flowers to a neighbor, sharing home-grown vegetables, or just asking a few questions to learn more about someone.” — Jennifer Prophete, Director of The Hopeful Neighborhood Project and National Good Neighbor Day

These small interactions build momentum. Over time, simple hellos transform into a safer, more welcoming community that boosts everyone’s overall well-being. Simply put: your single act of neighboring could spark a city-wide movement.

How You Can Get Involved

The National Good Neighbor Day movement is growing fast. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont recently signed a bill making NGND an official state day of recognition, joining a national network of over two dozen partner organizations.

Ready to bring the movement to your street?

The movement is growing one person, one street, and one state at a time. How will you celebrate your neighbors this year?