by Gabrielle Jamora
When hearing the term “community,” I immediately think of its broad scope and ambiguity when trying to understand what exactly defines a community. In reality, a community is whatever you decide it is. It can be your group of friends, people that you share common interests with, those in your same ethnic group, people in your field of work and in your industry, even people in your same geography. For example, those in your same apartment and residential buildings can be considered a community.
If I’m being honest, I never really considered those that lived in the same building as me as part of my community. Realistically besides my family, they are the closest community I have. Everyday, we walk the same hallways, pathways, open the same front doors, and call the same place home. We are surrounded by one another. I hear their footsteps from upstairs, hear the vibrations from their music across the hall, and hear their dogs barking outside when I open a window.
We have this community– this group of people living in close proximity to one another. Why don’t we try to take advantage of this? Why can’t we say “hi” or lend a hand to our neighbors?
For example, you might need help or can help others with the following:
I bought some extra supplies at the store, who wants some free hand sanitizer and masks?
Did anyone lose their keys in the parking lot? I have them!
I’m ordering some Uber Eats and need to buy more to get free delivery, anyone want anything?
I’m locked out of the building, someone please let me in!
As a person who quite often accidentally locks themselves out of the building, it would would have helped me if there was a way to contact the people whose apartment is closest to the door to let me in. Instead I stood there by the front door, knocking and waiting for someone to let me inside. Eventually, someone opened the door for me and apologized that they couldn’t be there any sooner.You’ll be surprised by how many people are willing to lend a hand.
How do you access and alert those in your area and make use of those in your community? The Mayo app makes it easy. Mayo is a communication app that allows you to ask either ask for help or offer help to those in your area.
Here’s how it works:
Download the Mayo app on the App Store or Google Play (no sign ups required!)
When you need a little help, post about it :)
If there is something you can offer to others, post it on there too!
Mayo will alert those around you of your post
Get helped/ help someone
Through these small acts, we can make the people around us happier. Who wouldn’t want that? We all need a little help sometime. Let’s try to make use of the community around us and spread kindness. The more people use Mayo, the more helpful it becomes. It’s easy to get your community on board with Mayo, since there’s no sign up required!
Now, when I use Mayo, I think of the community around me and how we can help each other. Mayo is spreading kindness in these areas around me!
Check out this map to see where Mayo is in your community. If it isn’t there, you can start!
Although you may have never considered the people living around you as a community, we can try to make the experience of living close to one another as best as possible, one interaction at a time.
