A Cities of Service Look Book
“A C I T Y I S N O T G A U G E D B Y I T S . . . . . L E N G T H A N D W I DT H , B U T BY T H E B R OA D N E S S O F I TS V I S I O N . . . . . ..... ..... AND THE HEIGHT OF ITS DREAMS.” HERB CAEN N E WS PA P E R CO LU M N I ST (1916-1997) OUR PURPOSE Cities of Service supports mayors and city chief executives to activate impact volunteering initiatives – city-led, citizen-powered programs that target specific needs and seeks measurable outcomes. Our coalition is comprised of more than 200 cities in the US and UK, representing more than 50 million people in 43 states, and more than 10 million in the UK. citiesofservice.org Executive Director Myung J. Lee myung.lee@citiesofservice.org @citiesofservice By prioritizing impact, creating capacity, and instilling a model that can be replicated, our approach works across multiple issues. Cities use proven tools and methods to engage community members in addressing needs like revitalizing neighborhoods and supporting youth and education. Residents are recast as co-producers of solutions and work side by side with municipal government to create real and lasting change. O U R H I S TO RY New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg convened 16 fellow mayors in September 2009 to form the Cities of Service coalition in response to the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. The coalition began a national movement of city leaders focused on engaging citizens in addressing local problems through impact volunteering and public-private partnerships. Cities of Service was spun off from Bloomberg Philanthropies in 2014 as an independent, nonpartisan organization to meet growing demand from mayors for new and improved ways to engage residents in solving civic challenges. Bloomberg Philanthropies continues its support of the organization and Michael Bloomberg serves as its Honorary Chair. Founding Mayors: Shirley Franklin (Atlanta, GA), Sheila Dixon (Baltimore, MD), Richard Daley (Chicago, IL), Marilee Chinnici (Dublin, OH), John Peyton (Jacksonville, FL), Antonio Villaraigosa (Los Angeles, CA), Karl Dean (Nashville, TN), Michael R. Bloomberg (New York, NY), Cory Booker (Newark, NJ), Phil Gordon (Phoenix, AZ), Luke Ravenstahl (Pittsburgh, PA), David N. Cicilline (Providence, RI), Kevin Johnson (Sacramento, CA), Douglas H. Palmer (Trenton, NJ), Paul E. Winfield (Vicksburg, MS), Adrian Fenty (Washington, D.C.), Lois J. Frankel (West Palm Beach, FL) ATL ANTA, GA Joined 2009 • Chief Service Officer est. 2010 Population 447,841 Mayor: Kasim Reed (2010 - ) Former Mayor Shirley Franklin, Cities of Service Advisory Council Issue Areas: Neighborhood Revitalization, Youth & Education “The City of Atlanta has been improved and is so much richer because of Cities of Service.” – Mayor Kasim Reed Stats: Atlanta created a “Recycling Corps” of 228 volunteers whose training and outreach efforts increased household recycling by 17% in 3,747 participating households over one year, and increased overall landfill diversion of waste from those homes by more than 20% every quarter. AUSTIN, TX Joined 2009 • Chief Service Officer est. 2010 Population 885,400 Mayor: Steve Adler (2015 - ) Former Mayor Lee Leffingwell Issue Areas: Neighborhood Revitalization, Sustainability, Veterans “We engaged more than 300 volunteers whose work in turn led the City to reassess and redirect resources to areas of critical need – to where invasive plant species proliferate and threaten not only Austin’s but also the state’s ecological resilience. With this initiative, the focus on impact begins from the literal ground up to decision making in the mayor’s office and city watershed department.” – Sly Majid, Chief Service Officer, City of Austin Stats: In one year, 469 volunteers representing 17 communities removed 30 acres of invasive grasses and have canvassed 152 acres and counting. B ATO N ROUGE, LA Joined 2009 • Chief Service Officer est. 2010 Population 229,426 Mayor: Melvin L. “Kip” Holden Issue Areas: Neighborhood Revitalization, Youth & Education “As a city, we wouldn’t be able to move the needle on any of our issues without the RIGHT partners… in our Love Your Block grants, each recipient had to partner with at least one other organization to make a change in their community.” – Chief Service Officer Kia Bickham Stats: In 2014, Baton Rouge engaged 39 partners including local universities, nonprofits, and corporate and city agency stakeholders, and engaged 1,786 volunteers who removed 3,400 lbs of trash. BIRMINGHAM, AL Joined 2010 • Chief Service Officer est. 2012 Population 212,113 Mayor: William A. Bell, Sr. Issue Areas: Neighborhood Revitalization “When Birmingham became one of 18 cities selected for an Impact Volunteering Fund grant in October 2012, it was a major step forward for the city as we move towards a better Birmingham.” – Mayor William A. Bell Sr. Stats: Overall crime in 16 neighborhoods where Birmingham implemented Love Your Block fell 11% over one year, including violent and property crimes. B U F FA L O , N Y Joined 2011 • Population 258,959 Mayor: Byron W. Brown Issue Areas: Neighborhood Revitalization “Our work with Cities of Service helped Buffalo to establish an infrastructure and network of volunteers who could be instantly tapped in times of need, and who could help us target areas of need in crises like extreme unexpected snowfall. The partnership pays dividends.” – Oswaldo Mestre, Director of Citizen Services, City of Buffalo F L I N T, M I Joined 2009 • Population 99,763 Mayor: Dayne Walling Issue Areas: Neighborhood Revitalization, Preparedness & Safety “I joined because I value the role that Cities of Service plays in helping mayors engage citizen volunteers, forge connections across cities, and bring awareness to the issues that cities are facing.” – Mayor Dayne Walling Stats: In the first year of Flint’s Love Your Block initiative, volunteers removed 4,500 square feet of graffiti, cleared 1,075 tons of waste, cleaned up 122 abandoned properties, and created 57 green spaces. ove ove Your Your Block is the Cities of Service impact volunteering vollunteering Service initiative focused focused on o neighbor initiative neighbor-hood rrevitalization, evitalization, one of o many many Service challenges* Cities of Serv vice helps city leaders tto o address. address. Through Through Love Love Your mayor’s office Y our Block, the ma yor ’s offic o e engages city rresidents esidents in rrevitalizing evitalizing their block att a time time.. neighborhoods one bloc ka Community groups compete C ommunity gr oups c omp pete for for mini-grants mini-gr ants with which to to complete complete projects improving vacant priority pr ojects – impr oving v v acant creating lots, rremoving emoving graffiti graffiti or cr eating gr een spac es – engaging g neighbors green spaces while elimina ting blight, with w eliminating funds and support fr om City Ha all. from Hall. Love helped dozens L ove Your Your Block has help ped do zens of produce cities pinpoint and pr odu uce lasting lasting change,, including enhanc enhancing change cing public safety. implement Love saf ety. Cities who implem ment L ove Your create Y our Block also cr eate networks ne etworks of volunteers v olunteers who respond respond nimbly to to improve overall other challenges and imp prove o verall urban rresilience. esilience. thatt The City of Birmingham rreported eported tha Love in 16 L ove Y Your our Block nei neighborhoods ghborhoods o verall crime fell fell by by 11% from from 2013 2013 to to overall 20 14. Communities Communities saw saw declines d 2014. in violent crime as w ell as a aut o and well auto property-related pr operty-related crime. crime. *Visit citiesofservice.org/impact-areas more. *Visit citiesofservic e.org/impactt-areas for for mor e. LOV L O V E YO Y O U R B LO LO C K Block by by Block, City ty by by City C I T Y L E A D E R S E N G AG I N G CO M M U N I T Y FROM THE GROUND UP “With off Service, “W With Cities o Service, we we were werre able to to ighborhood rre evitalization implement neighborhood revitalization projects Your projects based d on Love Love Y our Block all over the city. city y y.. Flint’s F Flint’s L ove Your Your City is over Love truly a movement…making movem ement…making ment…making long-lasting long-lasting vability ability o change in the liv livability off our city and in how how citizens citizens feel feel e about their neighborneighborhoods.” F Mayor Da yne W alling hoods.” – Flint Mayor Dayne Walling “Love e Your Your Blo Block ock giv ves es residents residents the “Love gives to create cre eate projects projects that that have have opportunity to a deep impactt on their neighborhood ultimately y impr ove the health, and ultimately improve safety, well-being saffety y, and w ell-being of of the whole city.” city y.” m Mayor Mayor W illiam A. Bell, Sr. Sr. - Birmingham William Additional Additional Cities of Service Service who o have have implemented implemented neighborhood rrevitalization evitalization programs programs include: Allentown, Allentown, PA; PA; Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Baton A tlanta, GA; A ustin, TX; Baltimor e, MD; Ba ton Rouge, Rouge, LA; Buffalo, Vista, Birmingham, AL; Buff alo, NY; NY; Chula V ista, CA; Dallas, TX; Fall Fall River, Houston, River, MA; Flint, MI; Hous ton, TX; Jackson, kson, MI; Little Rock, Rock, AR; Milwaukee, New New Mesa, AZ; Milw aukee, WI; Ne w Orleans, eans, LA; Ne w York, York, NY; NY; VA; NY. Phoenix, AZ; Richmond, V A; Washington, Washingt gton, DC; and Utica, NY Y.. SEATTLE AT TTLE TTL T LE LE BOSTON N BUFFALO ALO L ANSING NS S NG SI G LANSING PR P R RO OV PROVIDENCE RICHMOND RI MOND M MO ON ON ND D LAS VEGAS LAS V LA VE VEG EG E EGA GAS AS PHOENIX P HOENIX HO OENIX O E EN N IX X ME ME MESA ES SA BI R M BIRM B BIR MINGHAM INGHAM N GHAM NG G HAM HA AM BIRMINGHAM DALLAS D AL ALLA LL L AS AS AU A U ST US S TIN T IN N AUSTIN BATON B BATO ATO ON N ROUGE RO R O OUGE UGE UG GE J AC A CKS CKS CK SO O ON N JACKSON ORLANDO order to to become be ecome a high-impact and “In order sustainable model off neighborhood sustainable mo odel o revitalization, our o community community w alk ks need revitalization, walks to serve nott ju just to serv ve e no ust as a ffocusing ocusing principle for city services-they services-the e ey mus ome a for mustt also bec become catalyst cataly yst for for on ongoing ngoing engagement. Partnership with wiith Cities of of Service Service will Partnership help make reality.” mak ke e thiss vision rreality eality y.” Seattle Mayor Mayor E d Murr ay – Seattle Ed Murray Love Your Block 2015 Cities Love Your Block Mentors Coalition Cities In 2015, 2015, Cities of Service Service activated ac ctivated cities across across the U.S. U.S. who have ha ave committed committed to to revitalization n using Love Love Y our Block. Gr antees receive receive peer ment orship neighborhood revitalization Your Grantees mentorship from veteran veteran Love Love Your Your Block ock cities, c oordinated by by Cities of Service, Service, and dedicated dedicated from coordinated volunteers fr om the Corporation Corporration for for National National and Community Community Service. Service. The The cities of volunteers from Buffalo, NY n, Mis s., and Pr ovidence, RI ar e rreceiving eceiving program program Buffalo, NY;; Dallas, Jackson, Miss., Providence, are development guidance guidance from from m Cities of Service. Service. development LITTLE ROCK, AR Joined 2010 • Chief Service Officer est. 2010 Population 197,357 Mayor: Mark Stodola Issue Areas: Health, Neighborhood Revitalization, Youth & Education "With Cities of Service, we were able to apply strategic design and precision to improving public health in Little Rock. They gave the city's deeply rooted spirit of volunteerism a vehicle through which to reach and serve our communities." - Mayor Mark Stodola NASHVILLE, TN Joined 2009 • Chief Service Officer est. 2010 Population 634,464 Mayor: Karl Dean Issue Areas: Sustainability, Youth & Education “I not only believe in the amazing power of volunteers but have seen that power firsthand as a founding member of the Cities of Service coalition.” – Mayor Karl Dean Stats: After unprecedented rain and flooding in May 2010, Nashville brought together agencies, volunteers, and conservation organizations whose efforts mitigated more than 2.5 million gallons of storm water, planted more than 7,300 trees, and created 60 rain gardens across the city. Volunteers assessed more than 200 miles of waterways and removed 300 tons of trash and debris. Nashville was awarded best Cities of Service blueprint in 2014; “Storm Busters” is now a plan that any city can implement. O R L ANDO, FL Joined 2010 • Chief Service Officer est. 2010 Population 255,483 Mayor: Buddy Dyer Issue Areas: Health, Preparedness & Safety, Youth & Education “More than 90% of students who have been in Path Finders – in fact, in some years, it’s been 100% – have had no school suspensions and have had no problems with law enforcement, compared to their peers who were not in the program.” – Chief Service Officer Marcia Hope Goodwin Stats: More than 2,000 volunteers have helped Orlando serve 6,310 youth in 23 schools. The city has leveraged $500,000 in cash and in-kind contributions for Path Finders, which in 2014 was awarded a Cities of Service prize and made into a blueprint that other cities can adopt. PHIL ADELPHIA, PA Joined 2009 • Chief Service Officer est. 2010 Population 1,553,165 Mayor: Michael A. Nutter Issue Areas: Sustainability, Youth & Education “By uniting volunteers from across sectors, we are maximizing impact and empowering citizens with diverse expertise to invest their time and talent in Philadelphia’s future.” – Mayor Michael A. Nutter Stats: Volunteers at the last three Philadelphia Marathons have succeeded in diverting up to 88% of waste from landfills, and are engaged to guide spectators to sort trash, recyclables and compost at additional annual events. PHO ENIX, AZ Joined 2009 • Population 1,513,367 Mayor: Issue Areas: Stats: PITTSBURGH, PA Joined 2009 • Population 305,841 Mayor: William Peduto (2014 -) Former Mayor Luke Ravenstahl Issue Areas: Neighborhood Revitalization “Our citizens make our city stronger, safer and healthier through impact volunteering.” – Mayor William Peduto Stats: Pittsburgh has been revitalizing neighborhoods using the Cities of Service model since 2009. Love Your Block in Pittsburgh has led city residents to improve 390 blocks, enabled the clearing of 17.5 tons of litter and creation of 256 green spaces, notably leveraging nearly $559,161 in donations and 4,865 volunteers. R IC HMOND, CA Joined 2012 • Chief Service Officer est. 2012 Population 107,571 Mayor: Tom Butt (2015 - ) Former Mayor Gayle McLaughlin Issue Areas: Youth and Education, Neighborhood Revitalization “Our success with impact volunteering created unprecedented opportunities for residents of the immediate community to participate, as well as opened channels of communication and planning between the City and the local county school district. Additional schools have asked us about expanding the WriterCoach Connection.” - Chief Service Officer Rochelle Monk Stats: To help improve education outcomes in schools that historically performed below state levels, the City of Richmond expanded its language arts mentor program, WriterCoach Connection, from one to two high schools and is serving 150 students in both sites with 200 volunteers. R IC HMOND, VA Joined 2010 • Chief Service Officer est. 2010 Population 214,114 Mayor: Dwight C. Jones Issue Areas: Neighborhood Revitalization, Preparedness & Safety, Youth & Education “Cities of Service helps to guide me and other Chief Service Officers across the nation to fast-track citywide service plans that are comprehensive, collaborative, and outcomes-based. The value of helping cities stand-up and mature their impact volunteerism efforts is tremendous.” – Chief Service Officer Paul Manning C I T I E S O F S E RV I C E ENGAGING CITIZENS TO ADDRESS LOCAL NEEDS (List as of Spring 2015) Cities of Service’s work is made possible with generous funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies. © 2015 Cities of Service
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