Category Archives: Community Management

Neighborly Needs and Quandaries

Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 by No comments yet

Front Porch Forum staff work seven days a week to review the flow of postings submitted by members across Vermont. While challenging content appears occasionally, the vast majority of submissions are simple exchanges among neighbors. And many times each day we see gems that leave a smile. Here’s what yesterday’s shift looked like to one FPF staffer…

“Lost pets and wallets reunited with owners, snow shoveling and mud season angels, and tires for sale are all commonplace on FPF. We’re used to that. Then, you come across these really interesting postings… Like today, I saw ones about bat sightings as a sign of spring, someone trying to figure out what to do with a WWII uniform, and a story about losing a peacock (which — no joke — also happened to a different member last week!). I’m constantly surprised at what’s going on out there.”

When you give folks a place to communicate their neighborly needs and quandaries, they can really deliver!

FPF Members Prepare for COVID-19

Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2020 by No comments yet

Vermonters and Upstate New Yorkers are turning to their local FPF to share information and mobilize efforts to help their neighbors prepare for COVID-19. Keep an eye out for new information from your local public officials, updates on area events and business practices, and keep in touch with your neighbors to see how you can help each other to be resilient during this time.

Here are how some neighbors are reaching out in light of COVID-19:

 

“Hi Neighbors,

We don’t know how much coronavirus is already in our community, but its time to be prepared.

Two of the most important things you can do are:

  • -WASH YOUR HANDS frequently and well
  • -If you feel at all unwell- STAY HOME.

The 2nd point, self-isolation, can be a really big sacrifice.

I think I speak for our community when I say “thank you” in advance for doing this, and that we want to support you in doing the right thing.

So please, if you need to self-isolate, reach out to your neighbors, through tools like FPF. Some things we might be able to provide for each other might include:

  • -Grocery Delivery
  • -Netflix Passwords
  • -FaceTime Check-ins / playing online games.

If you need to stay isolated @ home and there’s anything at all that might make it easier for you to do that, please don’t hesitate to ask your neighbors.” • Ben in Burlington, Vt.

 

Hi, Richmond! Still very much hoping that this does not affect our town. However, if you or someone you know is self-quarantining due to concerns about coronavirus, your community is available to help several people have expressed interest in assisting with deliveries of groceries and other essentials.

In that case, please feel free to get in touch. If you know someone who needs assistance and doesn’t use email, they can reach me by phone.” • Jen in Richmond, Vt.

 

Hey neighbors, let’s start using this group as a way to support each other during the coronavirus pandemic. Those of us who are able to provide assistance can let that be known (I can!). And, as voluntary and mandatory social distancing increases, folks who should stay home (anyone over 65, anyone with a compromised immune system, anyone showing signs of illness) can post here with questions or requests for assistance. Why not run a few errands for our neighbors, right? Let’s all take good care of each other.” Kristen in Burlington, Vt.

 

Looking for information and resources to help prepare for COVID-19? See this informational video approved by the Vermont Department of Health:

Coronavirus PSA – open captions

Other resources on COVID-19:

Front Porch Forum is a free, local resource that can help neighbors to stay informed and band together. Don’t forget to check in to see how your community is working together to get ahead of COVID-19.

“Go West, Young Company: Front Porch Forum Expands Into New York State”

Posted on Tuesday, August 6, 2019 by No comments yet

Front Porch Forum has made its first significant out-of-state expansion and is now serving parts of New York, where about 1,500 members have joined so far.

“Now the free, hyperlocal social network has 170,000 members around Vermont and is striking into new territory: upstate New York. In June, the company launched its first major expansion outside of the Green Mountain State, into New York’s Washington County, a rural stretch that borders Vermont in the Slate Valley; and Warren County, which contains Glens Falls. ”

Read the full story by Molly Walsh of Seven Days here.

Fighting Online Bullying

Posted on Tuesday, July 9, 2019 by No comments yet

From Micah Sifry in Civicist 1st Post today

Katy Steinmetz reports for Time magazine on how Instagram is trying to use AI to reduce how much the platform is used for cyberbullying, but as she notes, “it’s much easier to recognize when someone in a photo is not wearing pants than it is to recognize the broad array of behavior that might be considered bullying.” Oh, and the person in charge of this whole effort, Adam Mosseri, previously was in charge of the development of Facebook NewsFeed, so this should inspire confidence. (How does your AI read sarcasm, he asked.)

One problem with Steinmetz’s article is that she accepts the frame of all the blitzscaled platforms, which is that connecting the entire world online requires massively open platforms, unfortunately creating massive toxic effects. But cyberbullying isn’t, as Steinmetz writes, “a problem that crops up anywhere the people congregate online.” It’s a problem that crops up wherever a platform has been optimized for engagement over any other value, and where there is limited to no human moderation. For example, a user of Front Porch Forum in Vermont, where each instance is centered on a neighborhood of roughly 1000 households and a paid part-time moderator helps keep the conversation civil, does not experience cyberbullying, as a recent study found.

Helping DPW crews identify potholes

Posted on Monday, April 9, 2018 by No comments yet

“This has been a real tough winter for streets and sidewalks. The weather is soon to get warmer and DPW crews are already filling in the worst potholes. But… there are miles of street. They need the public to act as their eyes. DPW reads FPF and the hazards you identify will get filled in.

Lets start a thread that results in the top offenders identified and addressed ASAP. I reported the pothole that shakes shocks as well as the significant dip in front of the library that savvy drivers try to dodge. Please post the street and block of your nominee(s) so that DPW crews can get to it sooner than later. Help us all out.” • Richard in Montpelier

“The Duxbury Selectboard in partnership with our Highway Foreman, will be sharing updates about road work, conditions, equipment updates and crew news to help keep everyone informed about what’s happening on our town roads.” • Erin in Duxbury

Front Porch Forum members also share their thanks to town road crews:
“The road crews have had a crazy winter to deal with! Snow, ice, mud, repeat…Potholes, frozen culverts, flooding. They do what they have to do every day …Thanks to all for your determination everyday.”  • Richard in Hyde Park

“Thank you for sending the plow truck this am – it was appreciated!!”  • Sharon in Argyle

Public officials reach out to hear from residents about zoning changes

Posted on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 by No comments yet

“I am the Town Planner and have recently been posting quite a bit about some zoning changes that the Planning Commission is working on adopting.  The public has asked to be more informed about what is going on, so I have been posting information regarding planning issues, meetings, hearings, updates, etc.  This has been working really well and I really appreciate having the opportunity to communicate via FPF.  You all are a great asset to our community.”  • Katherine in Jericho

Are your reaching out to your town officials through Front Porch Forum? They want to hear from you!