Lucky potlucks: A Connection in Action story from Susana
A few shared meals grew into a building-wide network of support.
When I moved into a new building, I met a couple of friendly neighbours and we chatted about wanting to get to know more neighbours, so we hosted several potlucks for people in my building. We now have each other’s phone numbers, and many of us have each other’s keys for emergencies.
Just this month, a neighbour noticed a flood in the storage area, and was able to reach everyone to let them know. My unit was affected, but I was away. Luckily a neighbour had my key and, with other neighbours, they went in and moved my belongings out of harm’s way.
We also have a senior tenant in the building and we are all keeping a neighbourly eye on her, letting each other know if we haven’t seen her, or if she is needing additional support. All this would not have happened without those potlucks. New neighbours have recently moved in, so I hope to host another potluck soon.
Capital Region Connection in Action is a campaign to strengthen neighbourly connection, personal belonging, and community resilience.
Connection in Action is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program.