(Memphis) For many of us, life gets too busy to connect with the people who live closest to us; our neighbors.

“Some of us work from home, or we work come home, shut the door and we’re in,” said Verlinda Henning.

However, that is slowly changing.

People are now connecting with their neighbors online through a new social media site dedicated to neighborhoods.

“This is a virtual front porch conversation,” she said.

That conversation is now taking place in 32 neighborhoods across the Mid-South thanks to Nextdoor.com.

Near the University of Memphis, the East Buntyn neighborhood connects half of its 600 homes to the network.

Neighbors use the site to keep everyone aware of things like community events, and anything else unwlecomed.

“I had this guy I didn’t like knock on my door, trying to sell me something so I put something on Next Door to let people know that he was coming down the street and I think I made some people more aware,” he Wain Poole.

Anyone can join their private neighborhood group as long as they can prove they live in the area.  Most connections grow through invitations from other neighbors.

“That’s one of the thing I love about it, I’m Verlinda Henning, I’m not Suzie Q so I’m accountable for what I post and it allows people to get a sense of who I am as a neighbor,” said Henning.

It’s that connection people say is creating a healthier, safer, and more connected neighborhood.

For more information, click here: www.nextdoor.com