A home can be so much more than the four walls inside which we live. Our home is also our neighborhood. Our neighborhood can be our community, and neighbors can become trusted friends.

Neighbors help each other. They can keep an eye on each other’s home, on their children, or on their pets. They can gather one another’s mail. Neighbors can borrow items and share in celebrations.

September 28 is National Good Neighbor Day. I bet you didn’t know there was such a day, did you? National Neighborhood Day was established to support the bonds that form in our local communities.

Building and maintaining a sense of community is important, perhaps today more than ever before. In the spirit of National Good Neighbor Day, here are some ways to show appreciation for your neighbors.

9 Easy Ways to be a Good Neighbor

1. Host a get-together so new neighbors can meet everyone, or just to catch up if it has been a while.
2. If you have a lawn mower, offer to mow a lawn for a neighbor. Or if you live in a climate with colder winters, offer to shovel snow for a neighbor, particularly one who may elderly.
3. Bake (or buy) a treat for new neighbors to welcome them into the community.
4. Bring a meal to a neighbor who may be going through troubled times and in need of a night without having to cook.
5. Doing an act of kindness with others is always a great way to bond. Put a note in your neighbors’ mailboxes encouraging a group donation to the local food pantry. Offer to pick up the items and take them over for donation.
6. Before you head out to the supermarket, consider asking your neighbor if he or she needs anything from the store. An elderly neighbor or a new parent might be especially appreciative.
7. If you have kids who love animals, let them get in the spirit too by offering to walk a neighbor’s dog or give the dog some exercise.
8. Take care of your home’s appearance. When everyone in the neighborhood cares for their houses well, the whole area appears desirable and property values remain more consistent. Keeping your home and property well maintained means that you take pride in not just your home, but your neighborhood too.
9. Invite a neighbor whose family lives far away to celebrate the holidays with you. Nobody wants to be alone on a holiday. Well, almost nobody.

It’s quite special to be blessed with great neighbors, and equally important to be one. It may be National Good Neighbor Day, but every day is the right day to be a good neighbor.

Jessica Cohen is a health coach, a greener living enthusiast, and an advocate of social good. On her website, EatSleepBe.com, she provides tips for being kinder to yourself, to others, and to the planet. Additionally, Jessica enjoys consulting with like-minded companies to create site concepts, develop editorial and social media calendars, ghost write, publish press releases, and run successful outreach campaigns. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram at EatSleepBe.

How will you celebrate National Good Neighbor Day this year? Let us know below or on Facebook and Twitter.