Neighborhood Commons is a safe and welcoming space inspiring conversation, connection, and collaboration.
Welcome. There is room for you here.
We are young & not-so-young, single & married. We are entrepreneurs, teachers, caregivers, and students. We are those with an abundance of resources & those who struggle to pay the bills, those who have lived here for generations & those who moved here to be part of the redevelopment, those who benefit from these changes & those who do not. We have seen & experienced the fragmentation & disconnection that exists here, and wondered together how to create more space for neighbors to connect across difference.
We are calling that space Neighborhood Commons. We currently host most dinners and workshops at Sanctuary on 8th Street and Overalls Farm.
Do I need to live in Springfield to participate in Neighborhood Commons?
The short answer is NO!
At the heart of Neighborhood Commons is a desire to…
Create a space of welcome and belonging: We are building a “bigger table” together that includes many different voices and perspectives and invites everyone to contribute something.
Nurture authentic connection: We recognize the pervasiveness of loneliness, isolation and fragmentation along socio-economic and racial lines that continue to plague us, and we want to nurture an alternative. We believe the alternative begins with nurturing authentic connection.
Cultivate collaboration: There are many people doing work for the common good of our community and we want to cultivate more opportunities for sharing, collaborating & creating together.
Upcoming Events
Join us every 3rd Friday for Greens & Beans with on Overalls Farm Three (125 E 7th Street).This lively community gathering centers around a farm-fresh, chef-prepared meal of greens & beans with a dash of culinary education. At our next gathering on Friday, December 19th at 6 p.m., we will also celebrate the holidays with a silly gift (aka “white elephant” gift) exchange. If you're able, bring a dish to share, a wrapped silly gift, and a folding chair. Preparation will begin at 6, dinner at 6:30 p.m.
Afterward, you are invited to stick around for an overnight campout on the farm (till 8 a.m.) — a night of fun, community spirit around the fire, and the official launch of the Project One Health Springfield’s Youth Ecological Stewardship Program. Everyone is welcome! Bring your tents, sleeping bags and headlamps if you have one! If you have any questions, reach out to any of the planning team members – Valerie at valerie@firstcoasturbanag.org, Rick at rick@sanctuaryon8th.org, Nathan at maninoveralls@overalls.life or Laureen at Laureen@pchjax.org.
We are creating this together.
While The Well is a founding partner of this project, Neighborhood Commons is being created by and with the larger community. Here’s how you can join in!
Show up to any of our events.
Help to host one of our community dinners or other gatherings.
Make a donation. Click on the button below to make a tax-deductible gift toward Neighborhood Commons. Make sure to designate “Neighborhood Commons”.
If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
- Mother Teresa