Book Description

Love Our Cities operates from a simple idea: come alongside those who want to make a difference in their cities so they can come alongside individuals in their communities to make things better. Founding members of the nonprofit organization Love Our Cities, Jeff Pishney and Eric Jung have seen how a city-wide volunteer day can catalyze community improvement—by engaging individuals with the city they inhabit. Each chapter of Love Our Cities addresses their method behind the madness, why it works, and the practical next steps that anyone can use to kick off city-wide volunteer efforts. Jeff Pishney and Eric Jung understand that the best way to support a community is to meet the specific needs of that area. By using their past experiences investing in Modesto and other cities, they provide a clear, actionable approach to enact city-wide change. Their volunteer days have been uniquely successful in connecting ongoing initiatives, building networks, and growing community buy-in for programs and organizations already on the ground. Their message in Love Our Cities is broken into four parts: Part One depicts their journey from the initial Love Modesto efforts in 2009 to the 100-some cities participating in their Love Our Cities network in 2020 Part Two explains at the elements that are necessary to know prior to any community engagement, in order to create a solid foundation for long-term success Part Three examines the “nuts and bolts” of running a city-wide volunteer day Part Four takes it to the next level—describing how successful city-wide volunteer days have changed the game and outlining what a year-round city movement might look like By shining a spotlight on the cities they’ve partnered with over the years, Jeff Pishney and Eric Jung hope that their community-minded approach in Love Our Cities encourages readers to dream about their own city’s potential—and how they can make a difference.