Placekeepers Initiative

What Is District Bridges’ Placekeepers Program?

We focus on coalescing the skills and expertise of local residents and engaging the neighborhood community in Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant through our Placekeepers Program.
“Placekeepers” are resident volunteers that take part in localized projects on a consistent basis aimed at making their neighborhood more accessible, safe, and equitable for all.

The core pillars of the District Bridges Placekeepers Program consist of the following:

• Community beautification and monthly clean-ups
• Free and accessible community events
• The Civic Plaza Neighbors Initiative: providing support to local residents
  experiencing housing insecurity

Goals for the Placekeepers Program

• Engage and sustain a community of resident volunteers in programming aimed at building accessible, safe, and equitable community
• Create and maintain a cleaner, healthier environment for everyone, inspiring all residents to become stewards of the neighborhood’s physical landscape
• Improve safety at the Columbia Heights Civic Plaza through regular space activation and by drawing on existing neighborhood resources
• Provide critical support to residents experiencing housing insecurity and SUD who frequent the Columbia Heights Civic Plaza
• Increase awareness among residents of overlapping issues that affect residents experiencing housing insecurity, allowing individuals and the community at large to feel more empowered to assist vulnerable residents in an emergency situation
• Foster and sustain intergenerational relationships between neighbors of diverse backgrounds who come together in service, community and fun