Can being a good neighbor combat loneliness?
Studies have proven that knowing just six neighbors can reduce loneliness, and helping a neighbor is even more beneficial for those who are experiencing issues associated with isolation.
A 2020 study by NextDoor, in conjunction with Brigham Young University, found that knowing one’s neighbors has been linked to lowered depression, social anxiety and financial concerns, especially as it relates to the fallout from COVID-19.
Acts of kindness were also linked to improved mental health, even with the smallest gestures like waving or greeting those who live nearby.
But what happens when neighbors decide to take it a step further, beyond just saying hello? Grassroots efforts to help each other, studies have shown, benefit the giver equally as much as the receiver. It’s the power of neighbors, whether it is done in an organized manner, or as an informal effort, that makes a community better.
Two years ago, Susie Griffin, the owner of Dunwoody Hair Salon in the Mt. Vernon Shopping Center, came to work early one morning to find a homeless man sleeping on a bench near the entrance to her business. Instead of shooing him away, she took an interest in him.
“Ken, I came to find out, had grown up in Dunwoody,” Griffin said. “He never bothered anyone or threatened anyone or asked for anything. I felt quite safe when he was around.”
While not fully comprehending Ken’s history, but learning that he was estranged from his family, Griffin decided to help him. It was obvious that he suffered from a variety of mental issues, but Griffin decided to help. She brought him clothes and food regularly. He wasn’t always near the shop, but he was around enough that it became a habit for her to provide him with a meal, snacks, or water.
Soon her clients and friends became engaged. When it was cold, they gave him a sleeping bag, when rough weather was predicted, they…
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