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Related Information

National Night Out Planning Week

Overview

Planning Week: July 22 - July 28, 2024

This is the time to organize your planning committee and delegate responsibilities for your National Night Out block party.

Planning early prevents last minute rush jobs and increases community involvement. Use the information presented as a guide for your planning process.

Introduce the Event

Now is the time to generate interest amongst your neighbors, your organization and your community to assist in the planning efforts. Remind them of these top ten reasons to host a NNO party:

  1. Have fun
  2. Meet your neighbors
  3. Organize a Neighborhood Watch program on your street
  4. Increase the sense of belonging in your neighborhood
  5. Share crime prevention and safety information
  6. Create a neighborhood email directory 
  7. Start a tradition
  8. Connect with your neighborhood police officers and city commissioner 
  9. Discover your neighborhoods hidden talents (dancing, guitar playing, etc.)
  10. Make community connections

This campaign will be a team effort within the community and will take more than just one person to have a successful National Night Out.

Build a Team

Establish a committee of volunteers to coordinate your National Night Out.

Use a volunteer Sign-up sheet to gather contact information. 

Delegate Responsibility

Get in touch with your team of volunteers and schedule a meeting. Determine who is responsible for what.

Schedule a NNO Planning Meeting with your team. Use the following questions at your meeting as a guide:

  • How many people should we plan for? Who will get food, drinks, utensils, etc.?
  • What kinds of activities will encourage conversation and people getting to know one another?
  • What should we do for kids? Games, face painting, piñata, recognition awards for good things they’ve done, coloring center, etc.?
  • Should we have music? What kind and who will arrange for it?
  • Do we want to close the street? If so, who will complete and submit a block party permit application by the September 13, 2024 deadline?
  • Should we make an invitation flyer? Who will do it? Who will get the flyers to the neighbors?
  • Do we need the flyer in more than one language? Which language(s) and who will do that?
  • How can we grow our party? (Invite new streets to participate and/or encourage surrounding neighborhoods to host their own NNO party.)
  • What will we do if it rains?
  • What activities will we have to teach our neighbors about spotting suspicious activity, how and when to report it and other crime prevention tips?

Plan it in 15 Days

  • Make a list of all the neighbors on your street
  • Send them an email invitation for the party. The Orlando Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Unit can provide you with a logo'd invitation.
  • Register your party at orlando.gov/police
  • Request a donation letter from the Orlando Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Unit. Use this letter to solicit food, drink and all types of donations from local businesses
  • Ask each family to donate one or more of the following items:
    • Food
    • Dessert
    • Napkins
    • Plates
    • Chairs
    • Blanket
    • Drink
    • Cups
    • Plastic ware
    • Table
    • Music
    • Balls, Frisbees, Bicycles, Skateboards
  • Plan a few fun activities for kids:sidewalk chalk contest, NNO essay or coloring contest, face painting, moon bounce, jump rope contest, slip-n-slide, water sprinkler fun, etc.
  • Plan a few activities to help neighbors get to know each other

Promote Your Event

If they don't know, they won't come. Spread the word to your community.

You'll want to develop a relationship with the media early to understand the process and how they'll be able to assist with your campaign. Also be sure to:

  • Create and share your event on social media
  • Communicate through an established mailing list
  • Collaborate with other groups, organizations, club, commissioners and politicians (elected only)

Prize Drawings

Five ways to earn entries and win big prizes:

  1. Submit pictures of your NNO Planning Week activities by August 12, 2024 and receive one (1) entry into the drawing.
  2. NNO Veterans Incentive: If you have participated in NNO for three years or more, you are eligible to receive one (1) entry into the drawing.
  3. Submit your NNO Registration Form by the early registration deadline of August 1, 2024 and receive one (1) entry into the drawing.
  4. Submit your NNO Evaluation by October 13, 2024 and receive four (4) entries into the drawing.
  5. Submit your best five photos from your event by October 11, 2024 and receive three (3) entries into the drawing. This will also enter you into the NNO Photo Contest.

Complete all five steps to earn up to ten chances to win. Photos must be emailed to karl.anderson@orlando.gov or mailed to P.O. Box 913, Orlando, FL 32802.

 

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