Brook Oaks Neighborhood is a historic neighborhood in North Waco with an amazing amount of community assets. When neighborhood leaders began to imagine ways to encourage neighbors to engage in a healthier lifestyle, they quickly realized that they already had the resources needed to make that happen within their neighborhood. Brooks Oaks neighborhood has a wonderful asset in the Dewey Community Center, which has exercise equipment that can be accessed at a very low monthly cost by residents as well as great walking trails and a playground outside which can be used by the public at no cost. In addition, Brook Oaks is home to Waco Family Medicine which has a great outdoor walking space and a garden open to the community. Brook Oaks is also the site of the Jubilee Market and Urban REAP which offer fresh produce and other grocery items in the neighborhood. With so many assets already in the neighborhood, leaders within Brook Oaks realized that they needed to help increase the utilization of these resources rather than trying to create something new.

This year, through a small grant through the Waco Foundation, the Brook Oaks Neighborhood Association is doing exactly that. They will be hosting various events such as family fests, gardening and cooking demonstrations, and exercise classes in partnership with Waco Family Medicine to encourage healthy living. The first of these events will be a Family Fall Festival and Pumpkin Patch on October 23 from 2-4 pm at the Community Gathering Space located at Waco Family Medicine. This is what happens when neighbors work together.