The City of Dallas announced on May 13 the recipients of its Love Your Block mini grants, a program aimed at supporting community leaders and neighborhood groups in revitalization projects across the city.
The initiative is designed to strengthen neighborhoods and create lasting positive impacts by encouraging residents to propose creative solutions for local challenges. Through collaboration with Keep Dallas Beautiful and the Department of Code Compliance, 25 winning projects were selected from over 100 applications submitted by residents and community organizations. Each project received an individual grant of $2,000, totaling $50,000 awarded.
“Love Your Block empowers residents to take ownership of improvements in their neighborhoods while strengthening community pride and collaboration with the City,” said Chris Christian, director of Code Compliance.
Winning projects cover a range of efforts including beautification initiatives such as community gardens and park improvements; public art murals; restoration activities; educational programs like literacy initiatives; and other enhancements such as new playground equipment or resource hubs. Some named recipients include Katherine Clark for The More You Know, The More You’ll Grow; Krisa Cantrell for UrbanDale Park Mural; Veronica Bravo for The Educator’s Corner: A Community Library & Resource Hub; among others.
Supported by the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University, Love Your Block brings together city leaders and residents to build stronger neighborhoods one block at a time. “I learned that when something is born out of care, people support it: they protect it and help it grow,” said first-year winner Twymeika Hill-Jones from EmpowerHer.
The grants fund resident-led revitalization efforts ranging from transforming vacant lots into gardens to repairing playground equipment or removing litter from public spaces. These projects are implemented in communities nationwide to foster social cohesion among residents, encourage civic participation, strengthen relationships within communities, and build greater trust in local government.
Residents interested in learning more about the Love Your Block program or volunteering can visit kdbccs.org.
