PORT ST. LUCIE — Six community-led projects in the Whispering Pines neighborhood will move forward this year after being selected for funding through the city’s Love Your Block mini-grant program.
City officials announced that $20,000 in total funding was awarded in 2026, with individual grants of up to $3,000 supporting small-scale projects aimed at improving public spaces, neighborhood identity and safety.
Now in its second year, the program is designed to support resident-driven efforts and increase community engagement. Projects are led by a mix of residents, nonprofit groups, youth organizations and neighborhood associations.
Selected projects include a mural and park cleanup organized by the Treasure Coast High School Key Club, as well as the installation of wind-permeable silkscreens on fencing at Whispering Pines Park’s pickleball and tennis courts. The screens are intended to reduce noise and glare while adding public art, with volunteers planning to offer free lessons during the unveiling.
At Windmill Point Elementary School, volunteers will repaint the school’s entry sign. Another project at Whispering Pines Park will add a custom-designed privacy fence banner along chain-link fencing near Skate City, with the goal of reducing noise for nearby homes. Free skate lessons are also planned as part of that effort.
Additional projects include a mural at The Villa of Windmill Point 2 and improvements to a neighborhood green space led by the city’s Youth Council, including installing a bench, building and painting birdhouses and adding a birdbath.
Three additional applications were placed on a waitlist pending the availability of more funding later in the grant cycle.
The Love Your Block program is supported by the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University and operates in cities across the United States, focusing on resident-led neighborhood improvements.
All selected projects are expected to be completed by summer 2026.