The best neighborhoods are welcoming and inclusive. Everyone deserves to feel safe, to feel included, to be seen. We believe that Fort Collins is a city of neighbors who look out for each other and whose kindness is a huge part of our community’s resilience.

Consider sharing a welcoming message in the window of your home, letting your LGBTQIA+ neighbors and others with diverse identities know that all are welcome on your block. Choose from these three free printables:

• All are welcome
• Celebrate diversity
• Proud neighbor

How has your neighborhood grown and connected as a result of the pandemic? Were you the neighbors picking up groceries and prescriptions for each other, or exchanging books and puzzles, or hosting outdoor small socials? 

As we look ahead, how will you continue to connect with neighbors? What activities are now possible to grow resiliency and sustainability in your community?

Your friendly Neighborhood Services Staff have some ideas to inspire neighbors and the City of Fort Collins would love to hear your stories of neighborhood solidarity to feature here. 

Email Neighborhood Services at nsprograms@fcgov.com.

These activities require some coordination, so you can get creative with invitations on NextDoor, handmade signs in your yard, or notes in your window.  

• Driveway or front porch sing-along, dance party, or concert  
• Pet parades or bike parades (with safe distances between participants) 
• Driveway LEGO or chalk art competitions  
• Online video chats with neighbors 

• Outdoor or online dance parties (cue up a DJ, turn on a neighborhood video chat, and dance the night away in your living room) 
• Curbside mocktail parties or coffee breaks  
• Fun Friday costume parade (choose a different theme each week and hold a neighborhood walk about at the same time each Friday) 

With more neighbors getting outdoor exercise close to home, you have a chance to start a neighborhood activity to spread #ViralKindness. These activities are fun surprises for neighbors to discover on daily walks.  

• “Bear Hunt” or “Safari” – A window or yard scavenger hunt where neighbors can keep an eye out for teddy bears or other stuffed animals in windows or on property. Creative neighbors can make bingo cards to let each other know what they should be on the lookout for. 
• Mailbox decorating for your home or community  
• Painted Rock Hunt – Paint a few rocks with beautiful pictures or words of inspiration and leave them around the neighborhood to be discovered.  
• Craft Supply Swap – Set up a table or box near a community area with extra craft supplies to help neighbors participate in activities and pass their time. 

• Chalk Walk – Host your own “Art Walk” by placing small flags or other markers near all of the chalk art you find on driveways and sidewalks in the neighborhood and letting neighbors know where to see the work of very local artists. 
• Themed Painted Windows – Choose a simple shape or a symbol of your neighborhood (like a street name) to paint on your windows and watch the idea spread.