Rochester Neighborhood Resource Center

RNeighbors assists Rochester neighborhoods with tools and resources to keep their organizations strong and healthy.

RNeighbors provides support and organizational development assistance to neighborhood associations throughout the Rochester community by developing and implementing programs and activities that enhance neighborhood capacity.

 Each of our programs and partnerships work toward this goal.

Some of our accomplishments in 2024 include: 

• Helped to organize and provide resources to Rochester Neighborhood Associations.
• On May 9, a Neighborhood Social was held at the Workshop. Over 50 enthusiastic attendees came from neighborhood groups, including Eastside, Historic SW, IndianHeights, Washington, StoneBridge Circle/Brookstone, Slatterly, Kutzky, Historic Homestead, and the John Marshall HS Ambassadors. John Marshall FCCLA students showed a short promo video for ♥My Neighborhood Week. In addition, the updated virtual Neighborhood Toolkit and RNeighbors.org were announced.
• In 2024, RNeighbors awarded eighteen different Neighborhood Project grants totaling $17,500. The grants benefited seven neighborhoods, including Washington, Lowertown, Slatterly Park, Eastside, The John Marshall Ambassadors, and Oak Terrace/Parkside neighborhood associations. 2019 Neighborhood Project Grants video.
• The first ♥ My Neighborhood Week took place May 19-25, with the goal of cultivating and celebrating neighborhood connections across the city. Several neighborhoods and groups took this effort and ran with it! Included in the major players were Oak Terrace/Parkside neighborhood and John Marshall and Century High Schools. A photo contest included hundreds of submissions of good deeds towards neighbors, including flower delivery and neighborhood gatherings.
• RNeighborWoods empowers and educates the community to grow a sustainable urban forest, benefiting Rochester neighborhoods' health, social, and economic aspects. RNeighbors recognizes that active citizens and their families are likelier to thrive in a healthy environment. Since 2004, through the teamwork of RNeighborWoods, we have utilized 7,797 volunteers to plant 8,609 boulevard trees.
• Beginning in 2007, RColorful Corners empowers Rochester neighborhood residents to work together to create colorful street murals, transforming public space into assets that neighbors take pride in. In 2024, the Eastside neighborhood added a brand new mural to its asphalt in an intersection adjacent to the Boys and Girls Club. The Slatterly neighborhood plans to redesign its street mural in spring 2025. 
• In September, Chalk the Block 2024 featured 17 local artists drawing 14 chalk murals across the city, in neighborhoods including parks and schools, and in front of small businesses. A public Scavenger Hunt led citizens to each mural, covering over 400 feet of colorful asphalt! We Bike Rochester partnered to create both a walking and bike route. Artists designed their murals around the inspiring theme “Nothing can dim the light which shines from within,” a stirring quote by Maya Angelou. Chalk the Block Video 2024 

In a time of division and disagreement locally and nationally, RNeighbors is an organization that strives to bring people together and develop relationships and complete projects that make a positive addition to Rochester neighborhoods.