Androscoggin County has come a long way since 2000, and Dan Thayer has the proof.

Looking at the latest results of a community survey performed by the Maine Community Foundation, he sees that residents today volunteer three days more than they did six years ago.

They participate in cultural efforts 5 percent more than they did, and they attend church weekly about 20 percent more – according to the survey.

“But it’s not enough,” said Thayer, a local business owner. “I think we can do better if we know where we’re going.”

Members of the Maine Community Foundation will present survey results from 8 to 10 a.m. Wednesday in the Auburn Public Library’s community room.

The goal is use the survey to show people and social groups how they’ve improved and what they need to do to improve further.

The foundation performed the first survey in 2000 along with Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. It asked residents questions about membership in community groups, their church habits and distances they commuted to work. It also asked their attitudes about their neighbors, their communities and their friendships.

Foundation member Betty Robinson said the first study compared the county to similar communities across the country.

“But it was just a snapshot in time as far as we were concerned,” she said. “It gave us a baseline of attitudes, but didn’t show any changes.”

The new survey does show changes. It shows commutes increasing on average by 10 minutes a day and residents socializing with their co-workers about 4.5 more days.

But the survey also shows social trust of neighbors, shop clerks, police and others decreasing. The number of interracial friendships also increased since 2000 – evidence of an influx of new Somali immigrants.

Meanwhile trust among the races has decreased.

“We’re hoping this can catalyze discussions on all of these issues,” Thayer said.