Rock the Block (Image Courtesy: Fox 11 Online)
DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A neighborhood revitalization effort is returning to its roots in De Pere.
In 2024, the first annual “Rock the Block” took place in an east-side neighborhood. Now back for its third year, the event will be held on De Pere’s west side from Sept. 16-18.
“We’re especially thrilled to be returning to the city of De Pere where Rock the Block first launched in 2024, and where we saw firsthand the power of neighbors coming together to support one another,” said Kaylee Prebelski, the Rock the Block program manager for the Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity.
Rock the Block recruits volunteers to participate in various tasks around the designated neighborhood, from exterior beautification and weatherization to safety repairs and home preservation projects.
The goal of the event is to lend a hand to homeowners who haven’t been able to complete the improvements themselves due to challenges like costs, age, physical barriers and/or the amount of work necessary. It also helps keep communities clean and safe, increases property values, unifies and empowers neighbors and boosts homeowner pride.
Jessica Diederich, CEO of Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity, explained why they chose this year’s neighborhood.
“We are proud to partner with the city of De Pere again to invest in another area where we believe neighbors are eager to care for their homes and community. The neighborhood was carefully selected, having the highest percentage of low-to-moderate income levels,” she said.
We will provide a hand up, not a handout, through volunteer-driven work and structured support, while also helping preserve affordable home ownership and the character of this established neighborhood.
Diederich said all 140 homes in the designated neighborhood will receive an application in their mailboxes.
Individuals and businesses who would like to donate their time, skills or supplies are encouraged to get more information online.
In the inaugural Rock the Block in De Pere, over 30 homes were improved, thanks to the helping hands lent by more than 300 volunteers. The 2025 event took place in the Fisk Addition neighborhood on Green Bay’s west side and featured over 25 projects.
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