What Does it Mean to Live the American Dream? You Tell Us.

With national debates swirling around unemployment, foreclosures, debt, religion, government and private enterprise, perhaps it’s time to reconsider what it means to live the American Dream.

Every day, nearly 900 Patch sites offer varied definitions of what it means to live the American Dream — businesses owners holding their breath while deciding whether to expand; college graduates returning home because they can't find jobs; and retirees bringing boarders into their homes to help pay their bills. We also see bold new volunteer efforts, inspiring stories of local businesses that succeed because they innovated, and residents who've taken these trying times as a signal to engage more in their government.

A new Patch series, "Dispatches: The Changing American Dream," will be built upon the compelling snapshots we unearth across all of our Patch sites. And, of course, we want your help. Tell us what issues and what stories in Germantown go to the heart of your American Dream.

We want you to tell us, what is your American Dream?