Purpose of the Playbook

Service has the power to transform communities. It strengthens trust, rebuilds civic pride, and creates partnerships that make lasting change possible. At a time when many cities are working to bridge divides and rebuild connection, service offers a way forward by bringing people together to do something that matters. 

This playbook invites you to lead that kind of change. It provides a framework for weaving service into the life of your city, allowing it to guide decisions, strengthen relationships, and shape meaningful progress. Inside, you’ll find tools, examples, and strategies to help turn short-term projects into a lasting culture of shared purpose and community renewal.

Designed for city leaders, community partners, and residents alike, this playbook supports anyone working to strengthen community life through service. The examples come from communities of every size, but the principles remain flexible and scalable. Whatever your role or starting point, you have the power to help shape a stronger, more connected community.

What You’ll Find Inside

This playbook is organized to guide you from insight to action, offering both big-picture vision and practical steps:

• The Science of Service: Why service matters. Discover the research, psychology, and community impact behind meaningful engagement.
• Steps to Build a Community of Service: A framework to help cities create inclusive cultures of service that last.
• JustServe Resources: Explore resources from JustServe that help communities organize, promote, and sustain local volunteer efforts.
• Case Studies: Real stories from communities that have put these principles into action and what they learned along the way.
• Common Challenges and Solutions: Strategies to overcome barriers and sustain engagement over time.
• Appendix of Additional Resources: Templates, toolkits, and further reading to support your work.
• Use this playbook to start the conversation in your city. Bring partners together, identify needs, and take the first steps toward building a culture of service that unites your community. This isn’t just a guide--it’s a call to action. Build bridges where divides remain, strengthen the sense of belonging every community deserves, and remember that this work is about ordinary people choosing to create an extraordinary future together. When service becomes part of daily life, each act of care--no matter the size--becomes a thread that helps hold a community together.