Introduction Individuals are the building blocks of the community they reside in. They have significant impacts on the outlook of the community. In addition, the individuals are the only ones capable of dealing with the challenges that face them (Elliot, Frances & Parietti, 2000). Consequently, success is attained when all persons combine their efforts to create a healthy, safe, and cohesive society. Only the persons living within a particular area can improve their welfare. Most programs aimed at improving the welfare of the people originate from the national government. However, the locals must also participate for the plans to succeed. The major challenge comes in uniting members of the society to help them deal with their problems in a collective manner. To work with a community, it is important for one to understand its nature. For instance, it is important to understand the factors that unite and divide the people. A group of people can be referred to as a community for a number of reasons (Mintz, 2013). For example, individuals within the same neighbourhood can be treated as a community by virtue of living together. Another group of people that can be referred to as a community is those who reside within a city or one of its sections. The entity shares the same amenities and the individuals are subjected to the same issues, which make them come together to improve their wellbeing (Mintz, 2013). A community can also refer to a group of persons who share common attributes. The attributes may include profession, faith, culture, heritage, belief, age, or experience. The group does not necessarily have to be within the same geographical area. On the contrary, the members can be spread over a wide area, such as a state, a country, or the entire world. Newark is the largest city in the state of New Jersey. It is also the biggest in Essex County. It has a population of over 300,000. It is the 67 th most populous municipality in the U.S. It is located in the New York Metropolitan area. The city is home to people of different religions, ages, and professions (Brown, Fiester & Annie, 2003). The diverse community is created by the numerous corporations and social institutions based in the city. For example, the city is home to the Panasonic Corporation of North America, PSEG, and the Prudential Financial Corporation. Such organisations bring together professionals from different parts of the world. The municipality is also home to a number of universities. They include the Seton Hall University, Rutgers–Newark Medical and Law School, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. The city is divided into five wards based on their geographical positions. The nature of Newark’s neighbourhoods varies from quiet suburban areas to busy urban districts. Blacks make up the largest proportion of the municipality’s population. Their figure stands at 52.4 percent of the population. The number of Latinos is also high. They constitute about 33.8 percent of the city’s population, making them the second largest group. Poverty remains a major problem in Newark. It is estimated that close to a third of the population are impoverished. The main reason behind this is the high number of immigrants