On Thursday, November 13, 2025, the Neighborhood Services Department-Neighborhood relations Division hosted a Neighborhood Leaders Reception in appreciation of the various engagement activities completed by neighborhood leaders and volunteers. Neighborhood-based engagement activities increased by 42% over last year, with 50 total engagement events in 2025 versus 35 in 2024. The largest increase was in neighborhood-based dumpster cleanup and common area beautification events seeing a 90% increase over last year. Additionally, the number of neighborhood volunteers who actively participated in the planning and implementation of engagement events increased from 145 volunteers in 2024 to 231 volunteers in 2025.
Logging 1,257 hours in sweat equity, the neighborhood volunteers leveraged $42,755 in volunteer match value with a total investment in City small grant program funds of $29,034, nearly $800 less than last year’s small grant funds expended. The City’s neighborhood group leaders really put in the work and effort to complete high value, low-cost engagement activities producing a significant return on investment as we sought to do more with less. The reception was just a small token of our gratitude for their amazing accomplishments.