Good News at Happy Community Project

This picture is of a woman in a seniors home who is reaching out to help others.

I am writing to express my hope you and your families are safe, in good health and sharing in the community spirit of looking out for each other. And to share what the Happy Community Project has been doing while we ready ourselves for when we can more freely move around.

There is lots of good news while we go through these strange times. Most of us are safe and well, if not somewhat lonely as we limit our excursions outside our homes.

Even with these restrictions, it has been inspiring to see how people have stepped up to look out for their neighbours. There are hundreds of stories filled with compassion and imagination, some are down right funny. Here is a one minute video on someone’s creative thoughts on how to make a Corona virus mask. I hope it brings a smile to you.

The good news is that this pandemic has brought out the best in most people. People are looking out for others in ways that are both creative and compassionate as they haven’t before. This bodes well as a big lesson on remembering the importance of community in our lives. And remembering that community well being is a result of individual responsibilities.

While the Happy Community Project, like many other organizations, has been dealing with this disruption, we have been working behind the scenes. We have been preparing ourselves to strengthen communities wherever citizens want a stronger culture of citizens looking out for each other.

We have a new website at www.happycommunityproject.com I invite you to explore it and make any comments back to us. There are many free tools on the website that anyone can use.

We have also published the book Reshaping Communities which is available on Amazon. It features the stories of how the Happy Community Project has impacted lives and communities. By purchasing this book, you are also supporting the Happy Community Project and I hope you find it inspiring. Please let us know your thoughts.

We have had inquiries from communities as to how the Happy Community Project can support them as we come out of the pandemic. For several months, we have been developing an on-line workshop for citizens who want to make a difference in their community. We are launching the first Getting Started with Happy Community Project on-line workshop May 19th. You can learn more and register here.

We have been working on other projects and in the coming months, we will be sharing other ways that we can be more socially connected and supportive communities.

I know there is limited opportunity for outreach just now as we keep our social distance from each other. We as a community of communities have been doing a wonderful job of noticing our neighbours who may need help. This is specially true for the vulnerable people who may have health issues or are older. I do have a special concern for those people who are invisible, those who do not have strong connections and are out of sight. Perhaps we can pay special attention for opportunities to support these people who need us more than ever, even if it is nothing more than showing we care by asking ‘How are you doing?’.

Thank you all for being an inspiration to me and for embracing the spirit of looking out for each other.

Barry