From Idea to Action: How to Start a Block Talk in Your Neighborhood

For many Topeka residents, the question comes up the same way: “How do I get involved?”

The answer, increasingly, is a Block Talk, a neighbor-led approach to organizing community meetings that are less about bureaucracy and more about real relationships. But for those new to the idea, figuring out how to start one can feel intimidating. That’s where PARS comes in.

“If anyone’s interested in being part of a Block Talk, the first step is getting in contact with me,” said Isabel Huckins, a community navigator at PARS, who helps coordinate the growing program. Her role begins with figuring out whether a Block Talk already exists nearby. If so, she connects new participants. If not, she helps residents decide whether they’re ready to host one themselves, or if someone else in the neighborhood might be a better fit.

“So, they all form by reaching out to neighbors, lots of door knocking, lots of things like that. And then there ends up being a host, a community leader from each neighborhood.”

In cases where a host isn’t obvious, the navigator and the PARS team work with residents to do additional outreach. From there, the process is entirely local. Neighbors come together to decide what matters most, how often they want to meet, and what success looks like for them. There is no script and no pressure to meet on a particular schedule. Some groups meet monthly, others less frequently. Some focus on safety, others on beautification, access to services, or simply connection.

“It’s very flexible,” Isabel explained, “so that way it’s really meeting people where they’re at.”

Block Talks are also intentionally low-tech. While Canva templates and branded flyers are being developed behind the scenes to help support local outreach, most communication happens the old-fashioned way: through word of mouth, handwritten flyers, or text chains among neighbors.

The adaptability is part of what makes the program work. It’s grassroots by design, focused on relationships first, projects second. There’s room for growth, but not at the cost of authenticity.

For anyone looking to take that first step toward building something new on their block, all it takes is reaching out to the PARS team. From there, the conversation begins.