Missouri Cities Put Neighboring on the public agenda

A proclamation may be a piece of paper, but the message behind several recent ones in Missouri is much bigger: Being a good neighbor matters.

That message is being delivered by Missouri communities as we approach Missouri Good Neighbor Week, Sept. 28–Oct. 4, 2026.

“So far, I have received proclamations from communities across the state, including Republic, Forsyth, Fremont Hills, St. Peters, Raymore and Kirkwood,” said David Burton, a community development specialist with University of Missouri Extension and founder of Missouri Good Neighbor Week. “I know of about six others that are pending. Each city has put its own touch on the proclamation, but together they make an important statement about the kind of communities Missourians want to build.”

Missouri Good Neighbor Week was established by the Missouri General Assembly and signed into law in 2022. This year’s theme, “A Year of Neighboring Activity. A Week to Celebrate It,” reflects our growing emphasis on making neighboring something we practice throughout the year, while using Sept. 28–Oct. 4 as a statewide celebration.

Why proclamations matter

“Earlier this summer, I challenged every Missouri city council, county commission and Extension Council to consider adopting a proclamation for Missouri Good Neighbor Week because proclamations communicate values,” said Burton. “When elected leaders publicly recognize something, they are saying, This matters to our community.”

According to Burton, a proclamation costs nothing and requires only a few minutes at a public meeting. But it can become a catalyst for a neighborhood gathering, service project, newspaper story, social media campaign, recognition of an outstanding neighbor or simply a conversation among people who have lived near one another for years but never met.

The proclamations received this year illustrate that idea beautifully.

Republic: Celebrating a caring community

The City of Republic built its proclamation around the city’s existing vision and values, describing Republic as a caring community and recognizing the many citizens who already volunteer their “time, talent, and resources” through local initiatives, civic organizations and everyday kindness.

The proclamation makes an important point: acts of community engagement, whether large or small, contribute to belonging, shared vision and collective well-being.

“That is precisely what Missouri Good Neighbor Week is intended to celebrate. Neighboring doesn’t always require creating something new. Sometimes it means noticing, encouraging and multiplying the good that residents are already doing,” said Burton.

Forsyth: Every person has an opportunity

The City of Forsyth emphasizes that strong neighborhoods are built through “trust, connection, and everyday acts of care between neighbors.” Its proclamation points to very practical actions: learning names, checking on others, welcoming new residents, sharing meals and offering assistance.

“I especially appreciate its reminder that every person has an opportunity to make their neighborhood stronger by becoming a more engaged neighbor,” said Burton.

Forsyth also encourages residents not merely to celebrate the week but to report their acts of neighboring, nominate engaged neighbors and learn how neighboring can strengthen communities across Missouri.

That turns a proclamation into a call to action.

Fremont Hills: Simple acts have lasting impact

The City of Fremont Hills begins with a positive declaration: “strong neighborhoods are the foundation of thriving communities.”

Its proclamation recognizes that connected neighbors can help create safer, healthier, more welcoming and more resilient places to live. It also notes that simple actions such as introducing yourself, checking on a neighbor, sharing a meal or welcoming a new resident can have a lasting impact.

Fremont Hills also included an important statewide milestone: in 2025, Missourians documented 42,134 acts of neighboring as part of Missouri Good Neighbor Week. Those actions demonstrate what can happen when thousands of small choices accumulate.

St. Peters: Be the neighbor you want to have

The City of St. Peters took a somewhat different approach, acknowledging challenges such as social isolation while emphasizing the benefits of positive neighbor relationships.

“One line particularly captures the spirit of this effort: to have good neighbors, we must first be good neighbors ourselves,” said Burton. “That moves the conversation away from what we wish other people would do and toward something we can control: how we show up in our neighborhood.”

St. Peters encourages residents to introduce themselves, get to know and celebrate their neighbors, nominate engaged neighbors and report acts of neighboring.

Kirkwood: A Culture of belonging

The City of Kirkwood proclamation emphasizes friendships, trust, civic engagement and belonging. It notes that every resident can make a positive difference through kindness, relationship-building and “fostering a spirit of belonging where they live.” That word belonging is important.

“Cities can build streets, parks, sidewalks and public facilities. Those investments matter. But government cannot pass an ordinance requiring people to care about one another. Trust and belonging develop through relationships. They grow when people know one another, help one another and spend time together,” said Burton.

Raymore: Proclaiming importance

In the City of Raymore, the Mayor and Council members took this opportunity to proclaim the importance of social capital and neighborhood connections for increase trust and involvement among residents.

This proclamation is more than a ceremonial recognition; it is an invitation for residents to put neighboring into action by reaching out to those who live nearby, performing acts of kindness, building new relationships and recognizing neighbors who make a difference.

Strong communities are built one relationship, and one engaged neighbor, at a time.

A Proclamation is only the beginning

“My hope is that these proclamations don’t end up framed on a wall or filed away after a city council meeting. They should be starting points,” said Burton.

A proclamation can lead to a block party. A neighborhood cleanup. A shared meal. Recognition of an exceptional neighbor. A conversation across a fence. An introduction to the person who moved in three houses down. Every community that issues a proclamation helps send the invitation a little farther.

There is still time for more Missouri cities and counties to join Republic, Forsyth, Fremont Hills, St. Peters, Kirkwood, Raymore and others by officially proclaiming Sept. 28–Oct. 4 as Missouri Good Neighbor Week.

Editor’s note: David Burton has also written an editorial about what it means to be a good neighbor in Missouri and how to be a more socially-engaged society, while still respecting each other’s privacy.