Love Your Block mini-grant winners announced

Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Office of Public Service today announced the winners of the Love Your Block mini-grants, which provide funding for neighborhoods throughout Boston to organize clean-ups and beautification projects. Grants were awarded to projects in West End/Downtown, Allston/Brighton, East Boston, Chinatown/Downtown, Roxbury and Mattapan. 

“These grants go a long way to help bring residents and communities together to beautify even more our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Walsh. “Through the Love Your Block program, we are encouraging residents of Boston to show their love for their neighborhoods, one block at a time.” 

In 2015, Cities of Service awarded Boston a three-year grant that resulted in the Love Your Block mini-grant program that encourages Bostonians to work together to revitalize their neighborhoods. When the grant expired in 2018, Mayor Walsh made Love Your Block a permanent City program under the Mayor’s Civic Engagement Cabinet. Six winners were chosen to receive funding to either implement or revitalize a public space used to address a larger issue identified by the community.

“Our City is going through a trying time and I am happy that programs like Love Your Block exist to bring residents not only hope but a physical change that positively impacts their surroundings,” said Director of Office of Public Service Kaira Fox. “Beautification is healing to these communities and our 2020-2021 winners will create bright spots for their residents amid the adverse effects of COVID-19.”

In addition to the mini grants, Love Your Block also allows Bostonians to partner with their City to beautify their neighborhoods with year-round clean-ups which offer residents ongoing chances to volunteer to improve their neighborhoods and a Community Tool lending program which allows residents access to tools located throughout the City to help them complete their neighborhood revitalization projects.

The Love Your Block mini-grant award selection committee included representatives from the Office of Public Service and Community Outreach and the Make Boston Shine board of trustees.

• Arrow Street in West End/ Downtown: this project will enhance the Haymarket Farmers Market by designing a new fencing for the current palet that will have a dual purpose: storage for the vendors and a living wall for the community.
• Chandler Pond in Allston/Brighton: this project will bring a fall festival to Chandler Pond, allow residents to learn about the pond, and build community while having fun activities and entertainment.
• East Boston: Mothers Out Front will build a community living wall for its residents. The community living wall will help educate the residents about the need for good air quality as the current air quality is poor due to the proximity of Logan Airport.
• Chinatown/Downtown: Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC) will turn overgrown and debris filled lots into community gardens and activity centers for residents.
• Roxbury: Orchard Gardens Residents will enhance the vision and expand on the late community resident Saida's Community Garden.
• Mattapan: Powerful Pathways will  paint crosswalk murals and electrical box paintings.

Additionally, residents recently participated in cleanup projects hosted by the Office of Public Service and Community Outreach in cleanups in Allston, Chinatown, and Grove Hall. 

The Love Your Block program is a City of Boston program under the Mayor’s Civic Engagement Cabinet that allows Bostonians to partner with their City to beautify their neighborhoods.

The Office of Public Service is committed to collaborative partnerships and programs that promote engagement, awareness, and service in communities throughout the City of Boston.