Civic Nebraska

It’s easy to feel unmoored. The pace of change is swift, and often, it can seem like the ties that once held us together – neighbors chatting over the fence, block parties spilling into twilight hours, town halls filled with spirited discussion – are less common or less trusted. But these connections haven’t disappeared. And they matter now more than ever.

Civic health is the term we use to describe the strength of those connections and how they shape our communities, well-being, and democracy. Civic health is about the daily rhythms of belonging, like knowing your neighbors, attending a community cleanup, or checking in on a friend going through a hard time. These acts, modest as they may seem, create a web of trust and shared purpose that forms the foundation of a functioning democracy.

Our system of self-government depends on people showing up – at the ballot box, yes, but also for one another. When we engage with those around us, seek common ground, and work through differences, we practice democracy in its purest form. We build habits of listening, empathy, and action.

Those habits aren’t formed in isolation. They grow through connection.

Research shows that these connections do more than keep democracy afloat. They keep us well. Spending time with friends, family, and neighbors is strongly tied to improved mental and physical health. Civic engagement, it turns out, is good for the heart in more ways than one. Whether it’s sharing a meal, volunteering at a local school, or organizing a food drive, acts of civic connection help individuals feel rooted and help communities withstand challenges together.

We also find clear links between civic health and economic prosperity. In strong communities, opportunity flows more freely. A job opening might be passed along over coffee; a new business might be launched with help from trusted mentors and neighborhood support. When people feel they belong, they’re more likely to invest in each other and the places they call home. Cities and towns prioritizing engagement and shared decision-making tend to be more resilient, innovative, and better able to grow in ways that serve everyone.

Civic health also powers real change. Local successes across Nebraska – like Fullerton residents coming together to provide childcare or Norfolk citizens breathing new life into downtown – don’t happen because someone gave an order from above. They happen because neighbors decided to make something better together. That kind of democratic involvement solves problems while building capacity and creating the muscle memory of community: how to listen, organize, and keep going when the work gets hard.

And then there’s what we pass on. Across the state, Nebraskans are deeply committed to ensuring young people understand the value of showing up for their communities. Students learning how local government works or helping to lead neighborhood improvement projects see more than civic skills being shaped. Their character is, too. Strong civic health teaches the next generation that contributing to something bigger than yourself is worthwhile because it’s part of a good life – the Good Life.

In this moment, when it sometimes feels like we’re drifting apart, civic health offers a quiet but powerful invitation: Come back together. Not with grand gestures, necessarily, but with the everyday actions that reconnect us. A shared table. A listening ear. A decision made side-by-side. This is how we define who we are and what we can accomplish together.