Block Clubs

In Person
Block clubs are a great way to get to know your neighbors and help to make neighborhoods a safer place for everyone. Each block club is unique and can be as large or small as neighbors choose to make it. Support for block clubs is provided by the Eastern District of the Saint Paul Police Department (SPPD). The District Council simply acts as a referral to those resources. If you want to know more about block clubs or to plan a first time block club meeting, you can call our 651-578-7400 and we will put you in touch with the St. Paul Police Department. They can help you with details on your gathering and can share resource materials.

Do you have a block club or neighborhood group?
We'd love to know about it. Contact our office and share your group information and location. If you'd like us to visit, or stop by during National Night Out, we're happy to do so!

National Night Out

Across the county, National Night Out (NNO) is held every year on the first Tuesday in August. It first started in 1984 and has grown every year since.
National Night Out is designed to:

Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness
Generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs
Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships, and
Send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and will not tolerate their criminal behavior

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live. ~National Night Out website

Virtual neighborhood clubs
Though not the same as meeting in person, a virtual block club can still connect you to your neighbors and community. A couple of options are:

SECO forum on e-democracy - this is only for SECO members with local announcements and discussions, moderated by the SECO staff.
Nextdoor - on Nextdoor, neighbors create private groups for their neighborhoods where they can ask questions, get to know one another, and exchange local advice and recommendations.

People use e-democracy and Nextdoor to:

Get the word out about a break-in
Organize a Neighborhood Watch Group
Track down a trustworthy babysitter
Learn who does the best paint job in town
Ask for help to find your lost dog
Finally call that nice person down the street by their first name

Host Your Own Event

In our neighborhood, we encourage neighbors to get together and celebrate locally, or to join our community-wide celebration of our diversity at INTER-National Night Out, held at the Conway Rec Center. To find out more about this event contact our office at 651-578-7600 or email us.

What to do for NNO if you want to plan your own.
Neighborhoods choose what works for them as far as what and how they will hold their events. Along with the traditional block parties, may neighbors ‘celebrate’ NNO with events and activities.

Examples include:

Cook outs or pot luck dinners
Games, sidewalk chalk
Everyone agrees to turn on their porch or outside lights!