Remember front porches? They used to be vital to your survival during the summer, before air-conditioners and garage door openers made them obsolete. But they were always much more than that – front porches connected you to your neighbors and helped build a community.

Thirteen years ago, Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, Kan., wanted to commemorate its 50th anniversary with a volunteer project. They chose to help one neighborhood in Kansas City – the Ivanhoe neighborhood. But instead of simply cleaning up a few houses and heading back to the suburbs, the project expanded and grew roots. Today, the Front Porch Alliance is still there to fill the gaps in the neighbors’ everyday lives.