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Human beings are social creatures. Our lives are improved by the quantity and quality of our relationships and interactions with others, and a community that fosters these interactions by creating a meaningful and livable environment for all residents will reap the benefits.
Gathering with friends, volunteering with local organizations, creating relationships across all generations— these all have been shown to improve quality of life and quality of com
munity. As recently stated by the Mayo Clinic, “good friends are good for your health” — and a recent report by the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) pointed out that those who volunteer tend to be more satisfied with their lives than those who don’t, all while contributing to a healthy civil society.
This guide has been created to provide guidance for those at the local level – community leaders, residents, students and more — to identify new ways to address community challenges, implement programs that enhance lives across all generations and create a livable and positive environment for community members.