Downtown ambassadors

Helping Hands Around the Neighborhood

The Downtown Ambassadors are a unique service available across (most) of the neighborhood. The Ambassadors are the helping hands who keep the neighborhood clean, beautiful, and friendly.

Ambassadors are on the job 7 days per week removing trash and graffiti, reporting the crime to GRPD, planting and watering the greenery, and otherwise making sure the neighborhood is in tip-top condition.

Call (616) 250-8263 to reach the Ambassador on duty. Downtown Ambassadors are on call Monday – Saturday, 7 am -11 pm and Sundays, 9 am – 5:30 pm. Additionally, the Ambassadors have a Resident Engagement team who assist with neighbor-specific needs. 

ambassador duties

Downtown Ambassador duties include but are not limited to:

  • Help visitors with directions & information
  • Engage & support Downtown neighbors
  • Support Downtown business owners & managers
  • Help connect social services to people who need them
  • Report crime to the Grand Rapids Police Department
  • Assist people moving around Downtown
  • Monitor & report streetscape repair issues
  • Remove trash & graffiti from Downtown
  • Plant & water Downtown flowers & greenery
  • Clear snow from parking meters, bus stops & fire hydrants
  • Public restroom cleaning & maintenance

Ambassador services are made possible by the Downtown Improvement District and the Downtown Development Authority.

Ambassador Highlights

2023 Results

18,284

Trash Bags Collected

45,000

Plants and Flowers Planted

183,000

Cigarette Butts
Collected & Recycled

5,714

Incidents of
Graffiti Removed

263,415

Weeds Pulled