(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The 1,000 Neighborhood Gatherings initiative is returning in Colorado Springs for the summer of 2025, with four different ways to participate in gatherings to encourage connections between neighbors.

The four themes for gatherings are:

Gather Together: Ideas include hosting gatherings in homes or coffee shops, hosting a block party at playgrounds, or an outdoor movie or game night.

Play Together: Participants can adopt a neighborhood park, volunteer with Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation, or check out Hey Neighbor’s Park Event Toolkit.

Look Out for Each Other: Host a safety gathering to enhance the safety of your neighborhood, or get involved by joining your Neighborhood Watch, prepare with CSPD and CSFD’s checklists, and plan ahead for emergencies with the Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management.

Serve Together: Cleanup gatherings can give neighbors ways to connect by serving together. Participants can adopt a trail or waterway, join the Poop Patrol, or nominate your neighborhood for a cleanup.

Colorado Springs locals are invited to register a gathering through Sept. 28 so that it counts toward the goal of 1,000 gatherings. Check out the links above for details on how to organize events.

According to the City of Colorado Springs, making connections with your community is key to improving mental health, decreasing social isolation, and loneliness. Connecting with your neighbor helps build a social support system in your neighborhood.