Chambana Sun

On November 13, 2025, the Neighborhood Services Department's Neighborhood Relations Division held a reception to recognize neighborhood group leaders and volunteers for their contributions throughout the year. The event aimed to show appreciation for those involved in various engagement activities within the community.

In 2025, neighborhood-based engagement events rose by 42% compared to the previous year, with a total of 50 events held, up from 35 in 2024. The most notable growth was seen in dumpster cleanup and common area beautification efforts, which increased by 90% over last year. Volunteer participation also grew significantly, with 231 individuals taking part in planning and implementing these events, compared to 145 volunteers in 2024.

Neighborhood volunteers contributed a total of 1,257 hours of work, resulting in an estimated $42,755 worth of volunteer match value. This was achieved while using $29,034 from the City’s small grant program funds—almost $800 less than what was spent on similar programs last year.

According to the Neighborhood Services Department: "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."