Building a Healthy Community

Dec 28, 2021

If you can somehow believe it, we’ve made it to the last week of 2021. We here at N4L have spent the last several weeks spending time with family and friends, reminiscing on the year while also looking forward to the next. Part of that reminiscence has involved looking back at all of the various blogs we published and we’ve realized that we’ve spent a considerable amount of time talking about making personal health changes.

From managing stress, to staying active, to eating healthful food, there are countless ways you can take personal action to stay committed to a life of longevity. However, another pillar of our beliefs at N4L is to get involved in your community, because what good is personal health if you don’t have a healthy community to enjoy it in?

There are several studies that show the health benefits of having a tight-knit community to spend time with. In Okinawa, Japan this community is referred to as a Moai – a small group of friends that stick with you for life. So to round off 2021, we wanted to share 4 ways you can get involved in your community

Organize a Community Cleanup

This one may be tricky in the colder weather, but now is the perfect time to start planning for the warmer spring months. Gather a few folks from your neighborhood, your church, your office, or even just your family and friends, and spend an hour tidying up a small area of your town! Organizing this type of volunteer project brings like-minded people together and allows them to give back to their community. Additionally, it will make you more likely want to spend time outdoors!

Join a Mentor Program

A great way to support your community is to invest in its future. One of the best ways to do so is by participating in a mentorship program or something similar that allows you to work with the young folks who live in your area. Regardless of your community’s size or economic situation, investing in children, teens, and young adults in the area can have widespread positive effects. Not only will you be helping shape a child’s life positively, but it can also be a personally rewarding experience.

Shop Your Local Businesses

The holiday shopping season has already passed, but there’s never a bad time to support your favorite local business. From small coffee shops to your favorite local boutique, 2022 may be the time to skip the big box stores! Shopping locally is one of the easiest ways to help your community. By supporting a small business owner in your area, you make it easier for local businesses to maintain their properties and help support your community’s economic stability and growth.

Get Engaged with Local Politics

While not the flashiest option on the list, there’s no denying the impact local politics can have on your day-to-day life. Show your community involvement by being present on election days, but also getting involved in smaller things like school board spending decisions. No matter who you support, stay educated and vote. By caring about local politics, events, and important issues, you’ll find yourself more invested in your community. You may even find others who share your interests and can help facilitate change in community matters.

At N4L, we’ve done our share to support our local and global communities. On a wide scale, we’ve partnered with organizations like Rise Against Hunger, who are dedicated to fighting food insecurity around the world. If you’re an N4L fan interested in supporting Rise Against Hunger, you can view our joint landing page here!

On a local scale, we’ve finally opened the doors on our Food FARMacy in Hackettstown, NJ. This is our first brick-and-mortar retail space that is dedicated to providing affordable and nutritious groceries to our local community. We’re excited to see the space grow in 2022 as we start to host events in the space as well.

However you get involved with your community, we hope you do it with a smile on your face and warmth in your heart. Happy New Year everyone, see you in 2022!

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