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Mayor's intern reports City Ambassador pilot and 15 million-step summer challenge
Summary
An intern in the mayor's office reported the City Ambassador pilot trained 26 volunteers who logged about 150 combined volunteer hours; the program partners with nonprofits and includes a Golden Heart Step Up Challenge involving 13 businesses and about 75 employees.
Owen Ackerman, the mayor's reentry coordinator intern, told the council the City Ambassador pilot recruited volunteers who greet residents and visitors downtown and wear Gold Ambassador jackets.
Ackerman said the program has trained 26 volunteers who together completed about 150 hours this summer and that ambassadors report feeling safe on their shifts with an average safety rating of 4.75 out of 5. He also described the Golden Heart Step Up Challenge: "13 businesses and organizations participating with 75 employees with over 15,000,000 steps this summer so far," a friendly walking competition to encourage downtown foot traffic.
Councilmembers thanked Ackerman and asked clarifying questions about coverage areas and hours. Staff said most ambassador shifts focus on the core downtown area near City Hall, typically two-hour shifts with flexibility for longer coverage; the mayor and council praised the program as a positive downtown partnership.
