Rochester Neighborhood Resource Center

Slatterly Park Street Mural Painting

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

Through developing and implementing programs that enhance neighborhood capacity and create connections, RNeighbors provides organizational development assistance and support to neighborhoods throughout the community. Every program and partnership works toward this goal.

Some of our key accomplishments in 2025 include:

• Provided organizational support and resources to Rochester Neighborhood Associations including printing meeting signs and event posters, as well as assisting with city connections.

  • RNeighbors.org, our newly updated website went online in 2025 with additional resources, including the Neighborhood Toolkit. Please note that the Toolkit is a resource that will be a continual evolution.

  • https://www.rneighbors.org/about

• RNeighbors partnered with local Rochester artist Maggie Panetta, who received a grant from SEMAC, to celebrate the unique character of four of Rochester's neighborhoods. Maggie invited volunteers from the Eastside, Slatterly Park, Historic SW, and Meadow Park neighborhoods to a series of drop-in paint parties. People of all ages, armed with brushes and a love for their neighborhoods, contributed to the vibrant panels while sharing what they cherished about their neighborhoods.

  • https://www.rneighbors.org/blog-uploads/case-study-neighborhood-public-art-mural-series-by-maggie-panetta

• RNeighborWoods empowers and educates the community to grow a sustainable urban forest, which benefits the health, social, and economic aspects of Rochester neighborhoods. RNeighbors recognizes that active citizens and their families are likelier to thrive in a healthy environment. To date, since 2004, the program has engaged 7,974 volunteers and planted a grand total of 8,952 trees through large community plantings and smaller-scale neighborhood grants.

  • https://www.rneighbors.org/blog-uploads/over-100-volunteers-grow-the-urban-forest-in-northgate-park

• Beginning in 2007, RColorful Corners has empowered Rochester neighborhood residents to work together to create colorful street murals, transforming public space into assets that neighbors take pride in. In 2025, both the Lowertown and Slatterly Park neighborhoods repainted their murals. Lowertown completed its mural during its LoTo Festival, and Slatterly partnered with Riverside Elementary, engaging over 100 volunteers of all ages.

• The fourth annual "Chalk the Block" event on Saturday, September 27, 2025, successfully transformed the Riverside Central Elementary playground and surrounding area into a vibrant canvas, bringing over 500 participants together to celebrate art, poetry, and community. With the inspiring theme of "Origins," the event achieved its goal of building a stronger sense of community through shared artistic expression. Our thanks to SEMAC and community partners and sponsors who enabled this event to happen.

  • https://www.rneighbors.org/blog-uploads/chalk-the-block-2025-a-community-canvas-of-creativity

• RNeighbors continues to be a partner in the Litter Bit Better trash pickup program. 2025 marked the second year that a fall pickup was held in addition to the traditional spring cleanup. This fall, over 550 volunteers collected more than 650 pounds of trash at 80 adopted sites. The Spring 2026 cleanup will mark the 20th anniversary of this successful program. Save the dates April 25–May 3, 2026 to celebrate two decades of keeping Rochester beautiful!

  • https://www.rneighbors.org/blog-uploads/fall-2025-litter-bit-better-community-cleanup-recap

• In 2025, RNeighbors entered into a new partnership with The Barbershop & Social Services to empower and co-create a resident-driven neighborhood plan for Homestead Green. This has included funding for their Fades 4 Reading program, where kids can get a haircut in exchange for reading a book. We also hosted an Art Open House for the youngest residents to share what they loved about their neighborhood. This work will continue into 2026, focusing on building trust and empowering neighborhood leadership.

  • https://rneighbors.squarespace.com/blog-uploads/homestead-green-kids-contribute-to-a-collective-vision

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