City of Allentown Announces Awardees for Community-Led Neighborhood Revitalization

Posted In: Mayor's Office

Date: April 22, 2025

The City of Allentown announced the first round of mini-grant winners for the Love Your Block program.

City of Allentown Announces Awardees for Community-Led Neighborhood Revitalization
April 22, 2025 – Today, the City of Allentown announced the first round of mini-grant winners for the Love Your Block program, a resident-led initiative focused on revitalizing neighborhoods through small-scale projects that create lasting community impact. In partnership with the Leonard Parker Pool Institute for Health and the Cohesion Network, the City of Allentown received 13 applications from residents and community groups proposing
creative solutions to address local challenges and work together with city government to improve neighborhoods and public spaces.

The Love Your Block program, powered by the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University, brings city leaders and residents together to build stronger neighborhoods, one block at a time. The five selected projects reflect a strong commitment to community pride, neighborhood beautification, and civic engagement, aligning with Allentown’s priorities around public health, equitable revitalization, and strengthening neighborhood-level connections.

“As Allentown continues to invest in resident-driven solutions, Love Your Block plays a vital role in fostering collaboration between local government and community members,” said Mayor Matt Tuerk. “By providing mini-grants and hands-on support, the program helps residents transform public spaces, strengthen neighborhood connections, and build a greater sense of ownership and pride in their communities. I extend congratulations to all
the award recipients and express gratitude to the city’s partners, our residents, and the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins for making this initiative possible.”

Selected projects will receive $500–$5,000 in funding and resources to bring their ideas to life. Those projects include:

Franklin Park Community Garden – Ripple Church | Franklin Park
Ripple Church and neighborhood youth have cultivated this community teaching garden since 2013, growing vegetables and herbs that celebrate the cultures of the
community. With Love Your Block support, the team will expand composting education, repair fencing, install benches, and revamp their garden signage to support
ongoing engagement and beautification.

Garden City Green Space Revitalization – The Holy District | Center City
This project transforms an overgrown greenspace on Liberty Street into a safe, accessible, and welcoming pocket park. Plans include installing fencing, leveling the
ground, landscaping pathways, and creating an accessible flower garden to encourage neighborhood pride, youth recreation, and intergenerational connection. This
phase lays the foundation for long-term programming that promotes health, wellness, and community bonding.

Pick and Play – Mark Woods | Franklin Park
Pick and Play is a high-energy, youth-centered community cleanup day launching from Franklin Park. With music, food, and friendly competitions, this project will
encourage neighborhood participation through team-led litter pickup and beautification efforts across a five-block area. With future support, the project aims to evolve
into a recurring volunteer-led activation that fosters long-term pride and presence in public spaces.

The Village Community Block on Linden – Queen City Realty & Ripple Community Inc. | Center City
This project focuses on cooling and beautifying the south-facing 1300 block of Linden Street. In partnership with Promise Neighborhoods, volunteers will help install new
shade trees, evaluate opportunities for new tree beds, and install a community bike rack to serve pedestrians and visitors. Trash receptacles will also be relocated to
reduce litter and improve the streetscape. These improvements aim to make the block more sustainable and welcoming for both residents and the public.

Birds, Bees, and Blooms: Phase 2 – West Park Civic Association | West Park
Building on a successful pollinator garden on the north side of the West Park Bandshell, this project will transform the cleared southern garden bed into a thriving
teaching space. Volunteers, students, and community partners will plant native pollinator species and offer environmental education experiences for residents of all ages.
The Love Your Block grant will support soil preparation, planting materials, and refreshments for volunteers, with the goal of deepening community stewardship and
sustainability in this historic urban green space.

In addition to these five mini-grant projects, Love Your Block is also piloting a rolling Porch Makeover Program aimed at revitalizing residential blocks
one porch at a time. The program helps residents make small but meaningful improvements—like painting, adding flowerpots, installing house numbers, or setting out porch furniture—to create more welcoming, connected neighborhoods.

The first makeover day is scheduled for May on 15th Street, and residents from other blocks in the Franklin Park neighborhood can express interest through a short online form. This initiative builds on the spirit of Love Your Block by investing in the places where neighbors gather, connect, and build community from the ground up.

Residents interested in learning more about the Love Your Block program in Allentown or volunteering to support local projects can visit allentownpa.gov/loveyourblock

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