Be a Neighbor on National Night Out

facebook.com/UnitedWayErie

TUESDAY, AUG. 2

If you want safer neighborhoods, don't be a stranger. Held annually on the first Tuesday of August in communities across the nation, National Night Out is based on the premise that familiarity breeds not contempt, but concord.

This is thanks to a phenomenon known as social cohesion, in which a community forms a greater sense of solidarity through the sharing of social capital (e.g. knowledge of and investment in the situations of others), thereby upping its collective efficacy.  Social cohesion is strongly linked to lower rates of neighborhood crime and violence, and hence a priority of nonprofit organizations such as our own United Way of Erie County.

Since 2004, our United Way chapter has proudly sponsored hundreds of National Night Out events throughout Erie County, especially in lower income areas wherein mutual trust tends to be lower. According to the United Way website, "in the past, NNO events have taken many forms including but not limited to block parties, cookouts, parades, visits from emergency personnel, rallies and marches, exhibits, youth events, safety demonstrations, and seminars."

Whatever the activity, the value of knowing thy neighbor cannot be overstated. You can participate in this year's National Night Out at the following 16 locations (all events are free):

Wallace Park at Wallace & E. Front streets (5 to 8 p.m.)

Belle Valley Fire Dept. at 1514 Norcross Road (5 to 7 p.m.)

Diehl Elementary School at 2327 Fairmount Pkwy. (5 to 7 p.m.)

East Middle School at 1001 Atkins St. (4 to 7 p.m.)

Edison Elementary School at 1921 E. Lake Rd. (4 to 7 p.m.)

Elk Valley Elementary School at 2556 Maple Ave. in Lake City (5 to 8 p.m.)

Erie Heights Gazebo at 4020 Garden Ave. (5 to 8 p.m.)

Glenwood United Methodist Church at 2931 Myrtle St. (6 to 8 p.m.)

Greene Township Building at 9333 Tate Rd. (6 to 8 p.m.)

Iroquois Elementary School parking lot at 4231 Morse St. (7 to 10 p.m.)

McKinley Elementary School at 933 E. 22nd St. (3 to 6 p.m.)

Gridley Park at West Sixth and Liberty streets (5 to 8 p.m.)

Perry Elementary School at 955 W. 29th St. (4 to 6 p.m.)

Columbus Park at West 16th and Poplar streets (3 to 6 p.m.)

Caflisch Park at 48 Willow St. in Union City (6 to 8 p.m.)

Della Bayle Recreation Area in Wattsburg (6 to 8 p.m.)

For more information, go to unitedwayerie.org/2022-national-night-out