ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Visitors at Southwest Greenbelt Park in Englewood will find a new green metal box with enclosed shelves and a basket ready to be filled with materials and food. 

The recent installation is a community sharing box established by the neighborhood group, the Belleview Park Neighbors. The box allows the public to both drop off and pick up items. 

“There’s quite a few of the free little libraries around the neighborhood, and I thought that it’d be interesting to do something like that but with resources instead of just books,” said Andrew Forlines, the founder and leader of Belleview Park Neighbors.

“People can put anything in that they want to share and take anything out,” he said, explaining materials can include canned goods, basic toiletries and toys.  

The custom-made box is weatherproof and animal proof, Forlines said. 

The attached metal basket on top is for seasonal fruits and vegetables in the spring and summer, he said. On the side of the box, there is a bulletin board for people to place announcements.   

To help ensure the box stays stocked, Forlines said there is an online sign-up sheet asking residents to volunteer for a week in which they will stock the box at least once and clean it if needed. 

“It’s always been the goal to have it as self-sustaining as possible, so if I can get volunteers to help, that’s great,” he said. “My vision is to empower others to take as much ownership as they feel comfortable, especially around kids. I think it’s great for kids to get involved and help out.”

The neighborhood group is also looking for contributions and donations from local programs and businesses, Forlines said. 

“I think school supplies and kids activities and crafts would be something that could go well, because I think it really gives the kids something to participate in,” he said. 

Creating the box 

The process of establishing the community box began earlier this year after Forlines discovered the City of Englewood’s Neighborhood Improvement Grant was available. 

The grant allows neighborhood groups to apply for up to $3,000 for a neighborhood project, according to the city’s website. It is offered as part of the city’s Neighborhood Resources Program, which aims to build strong and inclusive neighborhoods in Englewood. 

The Belleview Park Neighbors received $2,500 for the community sharing box, Forlines said. After getting the funding, Forlines said it was difficult to find a pre-made animal-proof box that wasn’t too expensive.  

“I ended up finding a metal shop in Cañon City that is actually part of the Department of Corrections,” he said, explaining he thinks the prisoner working program with the metal shop was involved in the box’s creation. 

To solidify the box in the park, Englewood’s parks department poured the concrete foundation for it, Forlines said. 

“It was really a big team effort,” he said, explaining he also worked directly with Madeline Hinkfuss, the city’s neighborhood resources coordinator. 

To celebrate the opening of the community box, the group recently held a ceremonial opening with some local families, Forlines said. 

“People were excited,” he said. “We’re already seeing people taking ownership of it, and kids getting really excited about contributing.” 

He said his 3-year-old daughter helped unload the groceries they got into a wagon, which she pulled across the park to stock the community box. 

“We really love the neighborhood and are really pleasantly pleased with how supportive the city is,” he said. 

Establishing Belleview Park Neighbors 

Forlines inquired about creating a neighborhood group around fall 2020 after himself and his family moved to the city, leading to the creation of the Belleview Park Neighbors group. 

He describes the neighborhood group as a flexible coalition that he hopes more people will join. 

“It’s less effort than I think people think it is,” he said. “I just encourage people to get involved at their comfort level.” 

An ongoing initiative for the Belleview Park Neighbors is its “Family Contact List” which is focused on connecting families with children to organize playdates and activities.

The group has also held events like a pumpkin carving event and a children’s talent show, helping introduce neighbors to one another, he said. 

Forlines expressed gratitude to the city for its support, such as sending out newsletters for events for free. 

“The way the city helps, really, has been a lifeline to keep people connected and then to help kickstart that connection again,” Forlines said. “I feel empowered and connected to the city with the generous resources that they’re — they’ve been able to help.” 

Overall, Forlines hopes the community sharing box will help build stronger connections between neighbors. 

“I think this can help bond people in that way, in a sense of giving and sharing,” he said. “It’s understanding that we do need each other and this is just a little reminder of that.”

Getting involved

Those interested in volunteering to stock and clean the community sharing box can sign up online at bit.ly/communitybox. 

To stay updated on what the neighborhood group is doing, residents can visit the group’s webpage at engaged.englewoodco.gov/belleview-park-neighbors. Residents can also contact Forlines by emailing belleviewparkneighbors@gmail.com. 

Interested in starting an Englewood neighborhood group? Find out how to organize one by visiting the city’s website: bit.ly/NeighborhoodGroup.