Boulder resident helps turn neighbors into friends across the world

Catch up quick: Kruger founded the Neighborhood Accelerator Program after turning her apartment building of people who didn't make eye contact in the laundry room, into friends she's relied on to turn off her stove.

• NAP, which offers weekly sessions (first virtual, and soon in-person) on helping people turn their neighborhoods into communities, has reportedly been used in more than 65 neighborhoods around the world.
• "A neighborhood is just a geographic region where a bunch of people live," Kruger says. "Whereas a community is a group of people who know each other, care about each other, and are willing to act on behalf of each other's benefits."

What she did: More than two years ago, Kruger, now 30, moved with her partner into an apartment near North Boulder Park. To get to know her neighbors, she made flyers for a picnic potluck and began knocking on doors in her building.

• About 12 people came for the first event. These days, the group has "broadened to the size of our block," and people hike together, host barbecues, and even offer tech support to an elderly neighbor.

"Have an open heart" is Kruger's biggest advice for people looking to connect with their neighbors. "I know I sound like a big fat Boulder hippie when I say it, but it's true."

• And be open to possibility, she says, "like when you're traveling and you're kind of shiny and everything's exciting and then magical things start happening."

Another tip: When you knock on someone's door, immediately say that you're a neighbor. You want them to know you're not selling something.

• Don't be discouraged by people who don't open the door for you. Not everyone is open to connecting, Kruger says.

Bottom line: Turning strangers into friends takes work — but it's worth it.

Go deeper: Read NAP case studies on how to build neighborhood communities.