Love Your Block Program

Community Engagement One Block at a Time

Love Your Block is a collaborative effort bringing together city leaders and residents to rejuvenate neighborhoods. The program works alongside local organizations, neighborhood groups, and community members in Port St. Lucie to achieve its goals. Serving as a model for future engagement initiatives, Love Your Block reflects the City’s Strategic Plan, emphasizing neighborhood engagement to build a Smart and Connected City.

Pilot Program in the Whispering Pines Neighborhood: The initiative will support the creation and implementation of volunteer-led projects that address specific challenges within the Whispering Pines neighborhood. By fostering collaboration between city leaders, community groups, residents, and stakeholders, the program aims to enhance the quality of life in Whispering Pines.

Contact

For questions about the program, email LoveYourBlock@CityofPSL.com.

Sign up to be a volunteer

Success Stories

The Germa Family

The Germa family is a shining example of Love Your Block’s success. With the program’s support, they completed a long-planned project to paint their home—an improvement that not only revitalized their property but also enhanced the beauty and pride of their neighborhood.

Thanks to Love Your Block funding, their vision finally became a reality, and the transformation has been remarkable. Since completing the project, many neighbors have stopped by to share kind words and compliments, reinforcing a strong sense of community and connection. Their journey demonstrates the power of collective effort in strengthening neighborhoods and bringing people together.

Home exterior (before and after):

Love Your Block - The Germa Family house before new paint Love Your Block - The Germa Family home newly painted

Kelvin Hopkins

Kelvin’s story is a testament to the success and community pride of the Love Your Program. His mission was not only to beautify his own yard but also to inspire fellow homeowners to take pride in maintaining their properties. With his yard overrun by weeds, the Love Your Block funding provided the support needed to remove them, grade key areas, and lay rocks. Through these efforts, Kelvin is enhancing curb appeal and reinforcing the message that our lawns serve as the first impression of our neighborhoods—something worth taking pride in.

Driveway (before and after):

Love Your Block - Kelvin Hopkins - driveway before Love Your Block - Kelvin Hopkins - driveway after

Landscaping (before and after):

Love Your Block - Kelvin Hopkins - landscaping afterLove Your Block - Kelvin Hopkins - landscaping after

Parks Edge Property Owners Association

The Parks Edge Property Owners Association is a true success story of the Love Your Block Program. The community faced numerous complaints about overgrown brush around the property, which led to low visibility—especially concerning given its proximity to the public school. The area had become a hotspot for fights, drug activity, and even a refuge for the homeless. The most alarming concern was the discovery of used needles in these spaces. By clearing the overgrowth, the community has significantly improved visibility and created a safer, more secure environment for residents.

Before and after:

Love Your Block - Parks Edge POA - brush removal before Love Your Block - Parks Edge POA - brush removal after

Before and after:

Love Your Block - Parks Edge POA - before sidewalk Love Your Block - Parks Edge HOA - after sidewalk

St. Lucie Council on Aging, Inc.’s Health and Wellness Fair

Love Your Block - Council on Aging Health Fair with attendees

The Council on Aging of St. Lucie, Inc. is a shining example of the Love Your Block program’s success. On May 5, 2025, they hosted their inaugural Art of Health and Wellness Fair—a celebration of physical, mental, and social well-being. Over 150 senior citizens, vendors, and Port St. Lucie residents attended, engaging in valuable discussions on lung screenings, blood pressure checks, sleep hygiene, relaxation techniques, healthy eating, social connections, and the power of gratitude.

Funding from the Love Your Block program provided breakfast, coffee, water, snacks, and lunch for all attendees. The food was sourced from the Whispering Pines neighborhood, with lunch provided by Cam’s Pizzeria.

Love Your Block - Council on Aging Health Fair staff group Love Your Block - Council on Aging Health Fair attendees doing outside activity

Other partners included: Better Life Home Care, Treasure Coast Food Bank, Primary Care Solutions, SunCoast Senior Solutions, Buttefields Pharmacy, Treasure Coast Hospice, Cleveland Clinic, SaludVIP, A Kee to Paradise Assisted Living, WellMed, Jackson Drugs, Treasure Coast Advocates for Seniors, The Area Agency on Aging, Alzheimer’s Association, The Palms of St. Lucie West, St. Lucie County Emergency Management, and Port St. Lucie Crime Prevention.

Alexander Poloukine

Love Your Block - Alexander Poloukine's outdoor lights

Alexander is another success story of the Love Your Block program. With a goal of enhancing safety and security, he installed outdoor lighting around his home, allowing him to see clearly across his property, including the backyard, driveway, and the spaces between neighboring houses. The transformation has not only improved visibility at night but has also brought a greater sense of security. Since completing the project, Alexander has received numerous compliments from neighbors, reinforcing the positive impact of his efforts on the community.

Partners

John Hopkins University and Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation

Established by Bloomberg Philanthropies, Love Your Block builds on the successful Cities of Service model, engaging residents in public problem-solving since its inception by New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg in 2009.The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University chose the City of Port St. Lucie to receive Love Your Block grants to fund resident-led, neighborhood revitalization projects in communities across the city. As one of 16 selected U.S. cities, Port St. Lucie joined the largest cohort in the history of the Love Your Block program – which reached nearly 50,000 community members who have improved nearly 4,000 public spaces – creating nearly 800 art displays, cleaning 102,000 square feet of graffiti, and removing 6.7 million pounds of trash in cities nationwide since its creation in 2009.