Timber Smith and Jason Schulist were guests on Focus Fox Valley with Hayley Tenpas.
Listen to the interview (starting around 3:20) here.
- Belonging and civic muscle is considered the most significant of the seven vital conditions, being placed at the center because it is foundational to all other aspects of wellbeing
- Belonging means feeling valued and heard in your community, with your identity and contributions respected and supported.
- Community interviews in the Fox Valley surfaced four key pillars of belonging:
- Trust (in neighbors, institutions, and systems, and that they also trust you)
- Engagement (being invited in and actively involved)
- Resources (having access to help and chances to give back)
- Representation (seeing people like you in visible roles and spaces)
- “Civic muscle” is people using their time, skills, and voices to strengthen their community, not just relying on government. You can do this by voting, volunteering, joining clubs, or serving on boards.
- The region has relatively low social vulnerability overall (based on Social Vulnerability Index metric), but some neighborhoods show much higher vulnerability, signaling where extra outreach, support, and connection efforts are most needed.
- The Fox Valley has an unusually rich nonprofit ecosystem and growing diversity in local schools, creating many on‑ramps for residents to plug in, serve, and help build a community where everyone feels they truly belong.
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