photos of our work gardening on Isham street, staff at the annual Spring Move Out Project, and students sharing a potted plant with a resident from the Burlington Health and Rehabilitation Center

Our office hosts numerous programs and events for on- and off-campus students. Have an idea for a program that you think our office should organize? Email our office! Every program hosted by our office was created by a student or neighbor. We would love to hear about what you have in mind.

  • Upward Bound students on Isham Street

    Neighborhood Spotlight: Isham Street Gardening and Other Optimistic Doings

    Beginning in 2010 with what co-founder Brian Cina described as "guerrilla gardening," the Isham Street Gardening and Other Optimistic Doings (ISGOOD) neighborhood group has become a catalyst for positive change on Isham Street. Their innovation, collaboration, and sustained commitment to relationship-buildingĀ has helped to create a more vibrant and connected community.

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Outreach & Education Programs

  • Off-Campus Living Workshops: Our Off-Campus Living Workshops provide an opportunity for UVM students to learn everything they need to know about moving into an apartment. This 90-minute workshop features speakers from the Burlington Police Department, Code Enforcement, Living Well, Vermont Tenants, and a local landlord. Attendees receive a preferred renter's card and a letter that explains the program to prospective landlords, which can give then an edge when it comes to landing their dream apartment. And, an online version of the workshop will be launching in Spring 2018!

  • Have A Heart Campaign: Throughout the year, student volunteers help distribute Lake Champlain chocolate hearts with messages from local kids about the impact of late night noise that can be generated by students traveling to and from campus. Want to volunteer? Send us an email!

  • Catamount Classes: In partnership with Campus Programs and University Program Board, we host a series of free, fun, non-academic classes and workshops on topics that range from basic bicycle and car maintenance to hosting dinner parties at home. Check out our social media channels for updates each semester!

Community Development Efforts

  • Babysitter Mingler: Interested in babysitting? At this community event, families in need of sitters get a chance to meet and mingle with UVM students that want to babysit. Over 200 people typically join us for this event each semester! Sign up for theĀ Babysitter Mingler notification list.

  • Neighborhood Grant Program: Do you have an idea for a project that would benefit students and non-student neighbors on your street? Our office can provide you with a grant of up to $500 to help make it happen! Past projects have included community gardens, block parties, neighborhood clean-ups, and community art projects. Email us with what you have in mind!

Collaborative Events

  • Neighborhood Clean-Ups: Each semester, the Student Government Association organizes a community clean-up - one after Halloween, and another after St. Patrick's Day. With over 100 volunteers cleaning up 35 Burlington streets and neighborhoods, these days of service always make an impact! Smaller volunteer groups connect with our office on a regular basis to do neighborhood clean-ups, too. Think your street could use some love, or have a volunteer group that's looking for a new project? Send an email to oscr@uvm.edu.

  • Community Coalition: Alongside SGA senators from the Committee on Community and Legislative Affairs, OSCR hosts a monthly meeting for students, neighbors, city and university staff & administrators, police officers, non-profit partners, and others to identify and discuss neighborhood challenges so that they can create opportunities for action in our shared community. Send us an email if you'd like to get involved!

  • Spring Move Out Project: Burlington's largest community swap, donate, recycle, and trash event! Each May, you can join staff from our office, the City of Burlington, Chittenden Solid Waste District, ReSOURCE, and Myer's and Casella trash companies as we collect furniture and household goods to donate or swap for free, or to dispose of for a small fee. In 2017, we collected over 20 tons of furniture and other household items! One site is located on lower Buell Street, while the other is on lower Loomis Street. Be sure to check out our Facebook page each spring to find out the date!