Building stronger neighborhoods and increasing the ability of neighborhood families to improve their environments, homes, and lives on an ongoing basis. It means community businesses and political leaders recognizing that the economic and social health of their larger community is intertwined with that of its neighborhoods.

It means neighborhood residents joining with each other and with business and government leaders to develop the tools needed to shape a better future for their neighborhoods.Neighborhoods provide the environment where our children learn about society and about how people treat each other as human beings.

Neighborhoods give us our feeling of roots and sense of connection with our communities and our fellow human beings. Neighborhoods shape our aspirations and our chance of success in life.The path toward improved quality of life for our communities lie in strengthening the ability of neighborhood residents to marshal the needed resources and work with business and political leaders in returning their neighborhoods to health and self-reliance.

(Adapted from the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation)