Downtown Roanoke Ambassador Program
Having a clean, safe, and welcoming downtown is the foundation of a great city. Our paid 8-person Ambassador team is downtown 7 days a week providing over 300 hours of weekly services. Our Ambassador Program builds on existing services and allows us to expand and improve the downtown experience for residents, employees, and visitors. Dedicating trained employees to this work ensures continuous enhancements to the most visited area of the City of Roanoke.
See what the team has been up to
Ambassador Services
Clean Team
- Removal of litter and debris
- Weed control
- Graffiti and handbill removal
- Power washing
- Remove snow around parking meters, fire hydrants, and pedestrian crossings
- Plant, water, and mulch downtown flowers and greenery
Hospitality Team
- Engage and welcome visitors
- Provide directions and recommendations
- Answer questions
- Escort people walking to downtown destinations
- Support downtown business owners and managers
Outreach Team
- Conduct business outreach
- Address quality of life issues
- Check in with those in need and help connect them with services
- Work closely with Roanoke City Police to report and share information
- Joint outreach efforts with multiple agencies such as the Homeless Assistance Team, Rescue Mission, RAM House, Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare, and more.
For Ambassador assistance during operating hours, call (540) 553-6638.
The current hours for our Ambassador Team are noted below. This schedule is subject to change as we make adjustments during the early stages of the program.
- Monday - Thursday 8:00am - 4:30pm
- Friday & Saturday 8:00am - 10:00pm
- Sunday: 8:00am - 4:30pm
The Ambassador Program is administered by Block by Block, a company that serves more than 120 urban districts, parks, and transit systems across the United States, and managed by DRI.
Interested in joining our Ambassador team?
The program is funded with significant investment from DRI, City of Roanoke,Foundation for Downtown Roanoke, Inc., Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge Foundation, and other downtown stakeholders.
This program is a community-wide effort and DRI has secured funding through 2026. We are actively seeking additional funders to ensure the program continues. Please consider making a tax deductible donation to help fund our Ambassador Program.
