Who Is Involved

"Building Inclusive Communities in Seattle"

Matt and Kathi: A Mother and Son Nurture Traditions of Neighborhood Hospitality

When Matt moved into his own home - an apartment two blocks down the street - his parents worried that he might get bored and lonely. Because of a neurological impairment, Matt regularly needs help organizing his day and planning what will happen during the week. When Matt moved, his mother Kathi began looking for ways to help Matt stay connected to his neighborhood and find new activities in which to get involved.

Kathi successfully applied for a small grant from a Catholic Community Services fund created for neighborhood projects that involve people with disabilities. Kathi saw the fund as an opportunity to find ways for Matt and Adam, a friend with disabilities and his next-door neighbor, to get more involved and meet new people. Kathi focused on their common interest in the outdoors.

A four-block walk from where Matt and Adam live is Ravenna Park. In this bit of wilderness in the middle of urban Seattle, large evergreen and conifer trees form a canopy over trails running alongside Ravenna Creek. Matt loves the park and says he feels like he is in the mountains when he is there. Kathi was introduced to the Ravenna Creek Alliance, a group that works to restore the creek's natural habitat.

Kathi thought Matt and Adam would enjoy being members of the Alliance. So, Kathi helped Matt and Adam make that crucial first connection by taking them to a Ravenna Creek Alliance work party and introducing them to other members. Kathi sought out friendly, like-minded people who would welcome Matt and Adam into the group and encourage their participation. At that first work party, Matt and Adam met Thomas. Thomas engaged Matt and Adam in conversation and they discovered that all three of them had volunteered in the Student Conservation Association when they were teens. When Thomas responded to the discovery by saying, "Oh, then of course you know how to do work in the park," Matt and Adam were no longer outsiders at that work party.

Kathi and Matt were eager to find other park activities. When the Alliance organized an Earth Day cleanup at the park, Matt and Kathi not only joined in, they invited neighbors and friends: 25 people showed up. They also participated in Neighborhood Cleanup Day at the park with neighbors removing blackberry vines choking the creek. Those two events had Matt hooked. He found out what else was going on in the park and jumped in whenever he could to plant trees or remove invasive holly or blackberry. Kathi helped Matt fit the park activities into his weekly schedule, and introduced him to people who could work alongside Matt until he understood what to do.

Shortly before Christmas, Matt's parents gave him the idea to host a holiday lunch at his home for family, friends, neighbors, and fellow Alliance members after cutting holly in the park. Together they planned the "Hollyday" lunch. His parents made a flyer and Matt passed it out to invite neighbors and friends. That Saturday morning Matt joined the group to cut holly in the park and his parents went to his apartment to greet any early arrivals. Matt's home was packed with people eating Kathi's soup and Matt's homemade brownies and drinking hot cider. This was the neighborhood place to be.

"I'm doing something for my community," says Matt. And he keeps doing. His experience working in the park gave Matt enthusiasm and confidence to find other ways to contribute to his neighborhood, such as delivering the Ravenna Bryant Neighborhood Association newsletter to his neighbors and walking a neighbor's dog.

One of Matt's proudest accomplishments was organizing his Block Watch summer party. The block where he grew up had an annual block party that Matt enjoyed. After his move, Matt realized his new block never had a party, so Matt went to the Block Watch captain and suggested they organize one. Adam, who usually doesn't like crowds, went to the party after repeated invitations and persistent encouragement from Matt.

Matt's is a story of connections and opportunities for involvement that relies on neighborly relationships nurtured over time. Kathi continues to help Matt find options for neighborhood involvement. It's a slow and thoughtful process to sort through the various neighborhood events, celebrations, and organizations, find the right fit, join in, and make connections with people. But over time, a sense of belonging feels real. It feels real for Matt.

Learn more about the strategies Matt and Kathi used.