“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” That quotation is from the Bible (Book of James, chapter 2, verse 26), but one need not be Christian to agree with it. Having philosophical or political beliefs is one thing, but work is what turns those beliefs into a better life for individuals and communities.

I love many things about Northampton. And one thing I love dearly is that I consistently see people in our city laboring over difficult problems — doing focused, effective, unglamorous, often unthanked, hard work that benefits us all.

That is why I was excited to read in the Gazette earlier this month that the city’s plans for the Resilience Hub are moving forward, with a new partnership forged with the social service agency Clinical and Support Options. (“Northampton secures lead agency for Resilience Hub project,” Sept. 6) The Hub is a wonderful example of how Northampton community members have come together to tackle a tough problem.

As with many cities, Northampton has long experienced intense debates over the presence, in the downtown area, of people who are experiencing homelessness. But unlike many cities (which either ignore the challenges of poverty or pursue policies that punish the poor), Northampton has developed a plan to better connect people who are unhoused in our community with critical services they need — a single, easily accessible building where people can get food, a shower, a locker, medical attention, housing help, or an escape from the cold or the heat.

The idea for the Hub grew out of a 2019 mayoral task force which solicited feedback from many sectors of Northampton’s population, including people who are unhoused, social service providers, and business owners. But turning ideas into reality is hard work, and often involves addressing the concerns of skeptics along the way.

It took nearly four years for the city to fundraise, identify, and purchase a suitable building for the Hub. The recent Gazette article reminds us there is still work for the community to do, as “the city and CSO will work together to raise money to rehabilitate the inside of the former First Baptist Church,” where the Hub will be located.

I am hopeful that Northampton will rally around the Hub and support its completion, because getting things done is consistent with our city’s values of inclusion, generosity, and caring for one another.

There are more examples of Northampton’s forward-thinking approach to city problems. After the horrific murder of George Floyd in 2020 sparked a massive national outcry for policing reforms, our city assembled a policing review commission, the first commission of any kind in Northampton with a majority of members being people of color.

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One recommendation put forward by this group was to create a Department of Community Care, providing people in distress, such as those suffering from a mental health crisis or substance abuse situation, the option of an unarmed response. As of September 2023, the department is fully operational. According to the mayor’s budget released in May, the department’s team has already had “over 1,000 successful engagements with more than 360 individuals.”

Another example of extended community engagement: the “Picture Main Street” redesign of downtown. This endeavor has not been completed — construction is expected to start next year — but plans are far along. This major downtown improvement project could not have happened without Northampton residents, at dozens of public meetings and forums over a six-year period, helping to shape the plan’s vision.

I am looking forward to experiencing a downtown that is not defined by a bulging roadway, but by wide accessible sidewalks, dedicated bike lanes, tree canopies, and outdoor dining without giant cement blocks. Most importantly, the design will cut down on the high rate of traffic accidents, making our downtown safer and more inviting for residents and visitors.

All of these projects are examples of Northampton community members working together to assess and solve problems. They also demonstrate how city officials have worked with state and federal agencies to secure the necessary funds, as none of the projects rely on the city’s General Fund or our property tax dollars. When all levels of government work with all of us on the grassroots level, we can accomplish great things.

Recently, in the occasional letter to the editor or social media post, we have heard from skeptics of these projects, and frustration that the money involved was not directed to the Northampton Public Schools. But we need not denigrate the success or advancement of important civic initiatives in order to advocate for others. Quite the opposite. We should tap into the positive, can-do spirit of collaboration that has long permeated this city — my home and a place I have lived and loved since 1980.

The school funding challenge is particularly steep. Our state and federal governments have not provided the essential support we need when it comes to education. The percent of Northampton’s school budget covered by state aid is half of what it was 30 years ago. The additional staff that the schools’ most ardent advocates seek require millions of dollars of annually recurring revenue, which is not something that can be solved with a single grant or fund transfer.

Easy solutions are not available, but solutions to the problems we face as a community are easier to settle upon when people join together, take hands, and work together. And people in Northampton know how to work together in a spirit of collaboration. When we do, as we have often done in the past, great things are known to happen.

The Rev. Andrea Ayvazian, Ministerial Team, Alden Baptist Church, Springfield, is also founder and director of the Sojourner Truth School for Social Change Leadership.