Front Porch Forum (FPF) is a Vermont public benefit corporation that hosts online local forums in every community in the state. Started by couple Valerie and Michael Wood-Lewis in their Five Sisters Burlington neighborhood in 2000, they formed a business in 2006 and expanded to 50 neighborhoods in greater Burlington.
On the heels of Tropical Storm Irene, FPF expanded to Waterbury, launching on November 1, 2011. By February 2021, 4,269 local people were members of the Waterbury FPF (out of the approximately 2,210 households there). Over this near decade of use, local people wrote 54,209 postings that were published across 3,686 daily issues.
In addition to thousands of neighbors, hundreds of local businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, and elected officials participate. They post a wide variety of topics, including lost pets, plumber recommendations, block parties, public meeting announcements, school budget debates, bikes for sale, free strollers, and so much more. Years of daily neighborly exchange solves immediate problems and builds social capital among neighbors.