17Strong adopts another program for neighbors to help others with exterior improvements
Since its inception 17 Strong has been a spark plug for creating community within the greater scope of Hamilton, and within each respective neighborhood. In 2021, 17 Strong adopted another program to help grow our city– the Love Your Block grants.
Originally the grants were awarded to the city through the Cities of Service organization, which ran from 2018-2020.
“We focused on addressing blight in Hamilton neighborhoods,” said Neighborhoods Coordinator Brooke Wells. “Which mainly entailed doing minor exterior home repairs and improvements for Hamilton residents.”
After the program ended in 2020 with Cities of Service, 17 Strong saw this as an opportunity to continue this great program and relabeled it as what we know today, the Love Your Block grant. They not only adopted it, but expanded the program allowing any resident in Hamilton to apply, there are no financial prerequisites any longer. With the rebranding came an additional focus from 17 Strong.
“17 Strong wanted to focus on the front porch, mainly doing minor exterior improvements so that it had the most visual impact,” said Wells.
The neighborhood initiative, 17 Strong also had neighbors apply together in an effort to strengthen relationships in those communities.
“Having neighbors apply together, brings out working together with your neighbors to improve not only the outside appearance of your home but bring connectivity between your neighbors,” said Wells.
In the first year of being sponsored by 17 Strong three grants were awarded. Two in the Lindenwald neighborhood and one in Dayton Lane. The updates were mostly small, but still a pebble makes a ripple in still water.
“The projects themselves include minor painting, like front railings or front yard fences,” said Wells. “As well as landscaping, such as planting flowers and bushes. We mulched, trimmed bushes, pressure washed and even paid for some tree trimming. It kind of depended on what each homeowner wanted, as long as it was in the scope of work.”
Each grant was $6,000 per group and was spread across however many homes applied. Applicants needed to be at least four homes and as many as 12. This year 17 homes received the benefits of the grants, spread across the three groupings. What was done varied between homes and neighborhoods but mostly was landscaping and mulching beds.
The first block that was worked on was in Lindenwald on Pleasant Ave, and it captured the true spirit of the grant. Eric Sowders led the project on Pleasant and then doubled down by helping at the other two sites.
“That’s the spirit behind it all,” said Brooke Wells. “We were picking volunteers as we went on. Which is what it’s all about– neighbors helping neighbors.”
Sowders even admitted that he and his neighbors are even closer now because of the grant. Which of course is the purpose of the grant and the committee at large.
Members of 17 Strong, the neighbors and other volunteers all helped with the work, as well as the homeowners themselves. Andy Weltzer of Lifestyle Landscaping Solutions, was a huge help in the renovations as well. He scouted the properties and made sure each project had what they needed.
“It was a collaborative effort from the community as a whole,” said Brooke Wells. “The more neighborhood volunteers the better.”
Through the first year there were lots of lessons learned on how to improve the operation as a whole, but the objective stays the same.
“The main goal is really to connect neighbors and give them an opportunity to not only engage with the community but also take pride in where you live,” said Wells. “Its about building community in where you live by working with your neighbors.”
You can apply for the Love Your Block grants on the 17 Strong website, underneath the grants tab.