Neighbors United is a group of involved citizens in the Northeast section of the City of Lancaster, PA. We try to improve the quality of life in our neighborhood by becoming informed citizens who take an active role in our community. 

Neighbors United hosts special events throughout the year, including mixers, game nights, town hall meetings, fundraisers and National Night Out. 

We are known in the neighborhood for our efforts to bring the LCA Bike Ambassadors to our streets, plant street trees, Adopt a Block litter program, sponsor Little Free Libraries and community gardens, and being overall good neighbors.    

Safer | Greener | Cleaner

In 2014, we embarked on a campaign to make our corner of the city a safer, greener and cleaner place. Through a partnership with the Lancaster City Alliance, we were able to bring together the city's best resources for the benefit of our neighborhood. Many shareholders invested their time, energy and resources to help bring about positive change. Through these efforts, the quality of life in our neighborhood and the City of Lancaster continues to improve.

What will a safer neighborhood look like? Friendly neighborhood Block Captains and Bike Ambassadors will engage the neighborhood.  The Lancaster City Alliance’s Bike Ambassadors enhance the quality of life for people who live, work and visit the City. They are trained to serve as community ambassadors, aiding people with directions, and routinely identify nuisance issues such as excessive trash, graffiti and city maintenance issues. They act as additional eyes and ears in the community, providing an enhanced sense of security, often providing support to first responders. 

How are we making Lancaster a greener place? Last fall, with assistance from nearly 50 volunteers, numerous community organizations and businesses, we planted 27 beautiful street trees. We continue to support efforts to reduce storm water runoff and beautify our city with plans to plant 165 trees along our city streets.
What are the benefits of cleaner streets? Neighbors may adopt a block by picking up litter in their neighborhood. Businesses may sponsor locations for trash receptacles.

Neighbors United is already a shining example of what neighbors can and should do. Just as our homes do not stop at our front door, our city does not stop at the downtown. Other city organizations have formed in the last year specifically following in our footsteps, because they recognize how effective a neighborhood can be when neighbors work together.

Together, we are involved in making our city a safer, greener and cleaner place.  We are making significant progress and will officially launch the Bike Ambassador program on August 2, 2016 during our National Night Out celebration! We thank the many businesses in the Northeast that have stepped up to provide funds. We thank our community partners, who have also raised significant funds through spaghetti dinners, yard sales and pop-up coffee shops.

We are headed in the right direction and are empowered to advocate for a better quality of life for you. We recently reached $55,000 of our $65,000 fundraising goal! Can you help us to the finish line?
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Shop Small is a movement encouraging people to shop at small businesses, local businesses. Small Business Saturday 2015 will be held on Saturday, November 28th to support small businesses across the country. Founded by American Express in 2010, this day is celebrated on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. 

The public is asked to please shop at our local merchants on this particular Saturday and show their support for the small businesses that anchor the City of Lancaster and strengthen our local economy. 

Lancaster City Alliance and Lancaster Downtown Investment District support this annual event and in partnership with the many small businesses in Lancaster provide links here to various materials small businesses may use to get the word out. 

For more information and additional resources, visit: 
http://www.lancastercityalliance.org/business-resources/small-business-saturday/​ 

On Saturday, October 17th 2015, nearly 50 volunteers representing community organizations and homeowners, planted 27 street trees in our neighborhood. We are grateful for the generosity and support of UGI, TreeVitalize, the Lancaster Rotary, LNP, Ross Street UMC, Save It!, City Arborist Jim Bower, Lancaster City Parks and Public Property workers, the Lancaster County Conservancy Urban Greening, Kristen Thomas and PA Master Naturalists. 

​Visit: http://fox43.com/2015/10/17/volunteers-spruce-up-the-city-of-lancaster

​PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
 
Contact:
Andrew Wesley Whalen
Neighbors United
Phone: (717) 598-7441
E-mail: awwhalen@yahoo.com
 
Neighbors Unite to Make City a Greener Place
Alt Headline: Neighborhood Greening Efforts Take Root
Gift of Street Trees Part of Effort to Improve Quality of Life in Lancaster City’s NE
 
Lancaster, PA  – On Saturday, October 17th, neighbors in Lancaster City’s NE will clean up the community and plant 28 street trees as part of an effort to improve their quality of life. Thanks to the support of UGI, TreeVitalize, the Lancaster Rotary and the Lancaster County Conservancy Urban Greening, these trees will be planted free of charge to residents. This is the first phase of a project that hopes to introduce 160 beautiful street trees to the neighborhood over the next three years.
There are over 160 locations in our neighborhood that would benefit from a tree. Did you know that a single tree can prevent 3440 gallons of water from entering our city's combined sewer system each year? In addition, trees provide shade, reduce heating and cooling costs, improve air quality, reduce noise and increase property values. Imagine what 160 trees could do!
For nearly a year, Neighbors United has worked with Kristen Thomas, a local resident, Pennsylvania Master Naturalist trainee and member of LCC Urban Greening, and others who are interested in making NE Lancaster City a greener place. Her team took an inventory of vacant locations in our neighborhood that at one time had a tree (you can see the stumps or holes) and areas where there was no shade at all. Working with the Lancaster City Arborist, they researched trees that were a good fit for the neighborhood, making recommendations based on proximity to power lines and personal preference. With help from the Lancaster City Alliance, they also discovered funding and secured sponsors for the project. Finally, they went door-to-door informing residents when there were good locations in front of their homes. 

Alongside Kristen's efforts, Fritz Schroeder, Director of Urban Greening at the Lancaster County Conservancy, held an informative seminar last spring to educate the community on the benefits of greening the neighborhood to reduce storm water runoff.




Additional Info
VOLUNTEER!
Northeast Lancaster City - Street Tree Planting
Sponsoring organization is the Lancaster County Conservancy working with Pennsylvania Master Naturalists Stewardship Project and Neighbors United

When: Saturday, October 17
Location: Ross Street United Methodist Church, 312 East Ross Street, Lancaster City
Time: 8:30 am start / 1:00 pm (approximate finish)
Goal: Plant 28 Street Trees
Tasks: The city will have already removed the concrete and done an initial planting site preparation. The volunteers will be digging out soil, placing the tree, watering, adding mulch and staking the tree.
Additional Volunteers will be needed to pick up litter, weed and mulch existing tree wells.
 
Links
Website: http://www.neighborsunitedlancaster.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/neighborsunitedLancaster
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nu_lancaster
News Articles:

• http://www.neighborsunitedlancaster.com/news/volunteers-needed-for-shade-tree-planting
• http://www.neighborsunitedlancaster.com/news/ugi-partners-with-neighbors-united-to-bring-shade-trees-to-the-city
• http://www.neighborsunitedlancaster.com/news/neighbors-united-meeting-hosted-by-fritz-schroeder

 
About Neighbors United
Neighbors United is a group of involved citizens in the Northeast section of the City of Lancaster, PA. We try to improve the quality of life in our neighborhood by becoming informed citizens who take an active role in our community.

After 100 meetings involving over 1,000 constituents, the Lancaster City Alliance (LCA) unveiled the Economic Development Strategy Plan yesterday. Speaking to a packed event at the Ware Center, Mayor J Richard Gray and LCA members highlighted past successes, such as bringing the Barnstormers to Lancaster and building the Lancaster County Convention Center, and offered a glimpse of what our city could become when we build on our strengths. 

What are some of the strengths we can build upon?  Culture and community, the downtown, continued investment, a movement to shop and eat local, great commercial hubs, talented individuals, accessibility to nearby metropolises and bountiful farmland, diversity, a city with a deep history, and many partnerships that bring everything together.

The plan has the potential to generate $1 billion in growth, mostly through private investment. When you view a map of targeted growth, key areas of the development form spokes from a central downtown core. Once such corridor is the New Holland Avenue corridor that borders our neighborhood on the east side. A major gateway into our neighborhood is where East Ross Street and New Holland Avenue intersect. Another major gateway into our neighborhood forms along our southern border with East Walnut Street. Both of these areas are poised for growth. 

Our group, Neighbors United, embraces the strategies set forth by this ambitious plan. Residents and businesses alike will certainly benefit from the quality of life improvements proposed. A more walkable and bikeable community, with the right mix of housing and businesses that cater to our residents, will not only make our lives more pleasant, it will help close the gap of the more than $400 million that is spent by residents outside our city every year. 

Your investment in Neighbors United in paving the way for a Safer, Greener and Cleaner community where people want to live, work and shop. Our partnership with LCA promises to bring the quality of life improvements you expect and cultivate the businesses you need. 


Within our borders are 3,000 households -- we are one of the most residential areas in our city. Imagine how different your day would be if you could walk to get everything you need. Imagine what our neighborhood would look like if local businesses in turn reinvested into the community. This is what our partnership with the Lancaster City Alliance is all about. 


For more information, visit: 
http://www.lancastercityalliance.org/building-on-strength/

#BuildingonStrength