West Bloomington Revitalization Project

West Bloomington Revitalization Project Empowering community residents & revitalizing West Bloomington

Empowering community residents & revitalizing West Bloomington!
*Hours are run by volunteers and are subject to change, sometimes w/ short notice.*

Our programs include:
- Art & Street Beautification
- Barbers with Books
- Bed Blitz
- Bike Co-op
- Book Bike
- Community Gardens
- Healthy Eating Program
- Tool Library
- Veggie Oasis

The Community Gardens, the first original WBRP service offered, is located at the corner of Mulberry and Roosevelt St.Va...
06/05/2026

The Community Gardens, the first original WBRP service offered, is located at the corner of Mulberry and Roosevelt St.

Valerie Dumser used her Master Gardener experience in the summer of 2008 to convert a city-owned property into a community garden. Each plot is managed by a member of the community and overseen by the WBRP.

Additionally, the greenhouse in the back of the WBRP building (724 W. Washington St) was built by a 2018 First Year Experience (FYE) class at Illinois Wesleyan University. Dr. Jim Simeone taught a Gateway Course where students were invited to continue with an action research project in the spring semester. They decided to build the greenhouse for starter plants that go in the WBRP Community Garden and the IWU Peace Garden.

The Community Gardens are a great opportunity to utilize the summer weather! For information on plot reservations and volunteer opportunities, contact us via the WBRP website!

Photo on Slide 5 is courtesy of Deborah Halperin.

The WBRP Bed Blitz gives local youth (ages 5-18) a twin-size bed frame, a brand-new mattress, sheets, pillows, a blanket...
06/05/2026

The WBRP Bed Blitz gives local youth (ages 5-18) a twin-size bed frame, a brand-new mattress, sheets, pillows, a blanket or quilt, laundry detergent, books, a hygiene kit, and a teddy bear. Our kits are given away for free thanks to the generosity of individual donors and corporate sponsors!

Founded in 2015 by Robert Bosquez and Mike O’Donnell, Bed Blitz's mission is to provide free beds and bedding to children in Bloomington-Normal who otherwise may be sleeping on floors, couches, or shared beds. Since its founding, the initiative has grown substantially, providing more than 1,000 beds to local youth.

Every fall, applications are open for families to request beds. For more information and to learn how to get involved, visit the Programs tab on the WBRP website.

Thank you to those who have been able to help us keep our pantry going.For anyone able and interested in donating to our...
05/28/2026

Thank you to those who have been able to help us keep our pantry going.
For anyone able and interested in donating to our food pantry, here are a few ideas. Anything is helpful and very much appreciated by our neighbors.

If you have any questions, feel free to call, email, or come by during our open hours.

309-829-1200
[email protected]

Tues 11:30-4, Thurs 4-7, Sat 9-1

One of the original programs of the WBRP, the Book Bike was created by librarian Karen Schmidt in 2010, beginning with t...
05/20/2026

One of the original programs of the WBRP, the Book Bike was created by librarian Karen Schmidt in 2010, beginning with the WBRP itself.

The Book Bike's mission is simple: "We give away as many books as an individual wants, for free, no strings attached, no questions asked".

Increasing literacy is critical for educational outcomes on the West Side, as well as bringing joy and curiosity through stories for all ages!

When the weather is nice, you'll often find the Book Bike at our events or just riding around town! For more information and to learn how to get involved, visit

https://www.westbloomington.org/book-bike

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0844AFAF2CAB9-63916386-book #/ (Sign-up for volunteers to ride and staff the bike! It only involves a quick training for new volunteers!)

The first Music in the Yard is in the books. Thank you Mattie Mae and Brett Conlin for such a great experience and to a...
05/20/2026

The first Music in the Yard is in the books. Thank you Mattie Mae and Brett Conlin for such a great experience and to all those who came out. Can't wait to see you again on June 20 - stay tuned for the next lineup!

Music in the Yard with Brett Conlin and Mattie Mae is happening this Saturday at 4pm! Come down to WBRP and see two awes...
05/13/2026

Music in the Yard with Brett Conlin and Mattie Mae is happening this Saturday at 4pm! Come down to WBRP and see two awesome artists, for FREE!

Donations are welcome and will get you entered to win prizes, a WBRP T-Shirt and a free Tool Library membership.

Start off your summer strong with Music in the Yard this Saturday, and keep an eye out for more events like this!

The Veggie Oasis, now in full swing with the opening of the farmers market just a few weeks ago, is another program foun...
05/11/2026

The Veggie Oasis, now in full swing with the opening of the farmers market just a few weeks ago, is another program founded with the help of an IWU student, Jenny Prochotsky.

In June 2014, the inaugural Veggie Oasis was held, with a small group asking farmers at the Farmer's Market for leftover produce and donations. They collected 100 pounds of produce to give away on-location at the WBRP.

Volunteers have been running this at every single Farmer's Market since! West side residents can visit to receive free produce, an important connection as the West side is classified as a "food desert", meaning access to fresh food is limited.

Want to get involved?
Click here to sign up for a new volunteer orientation session:
https://illinoisstate.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9WumXHDj2XNxbjE
Click here to sign up for a volunteer slot:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B45A8AE2AA0FFC07-63052818-2026

Photos courtesy of Deborah Halperin.

Also located in our main building, the Bike Co-Op is a long-running service of the WBRP, helping West Side residents wit...
05/04/2026

Also located in our main building, the Bike Co-Op is a long-running service of the WBRP, helping West Side residents with all things bikes. Affordable transportation is a critical part of WBRP's mission to improve access to resources and quality of life on the West Side.

Created in 2010 by Rick Heiser, a beloved community member who would fix bikes in his free time, "Walk In Bike Out", or WIBO, evolved into the Bike Co-Op as we know it today.

The Co-Op takes donations of bikes and bike parts in any condition! This helps us repair bikes, sell refurbished bikes for reasonable prices, and even allow individuals to earn a bike through volunteering.

Visit our website under the programs tab to see details and learn more!

Our friends at Bobzbay Books are hosting Children's Book Week this upcoming week starting on Monday 5/4! 10% of all sale...
05/02/2026

Our friends at Bobzbay Books are hosting Children's Book Week this upcoming week starting on Monday 5/4!

10% of all sales on Tuesday 5/5 go to our WBRP Book Bike, an awesome way to get free books into the hands of those who need them!

Make sure to check out the second page for details on all the different events and perks!

Poster courtesy of Bobzbay Books.

Greeting you when you walk into the WBRP building on 724 W Washington St, the Tool Library helps West Side residents ren...
04/27/2026

Greeting you when you walk into the WBRP building on 724 W Washington St, the Tool Library helps West Side residents rent tools to complete home improvement projects and repairs with the low cost of a membership!

Founded in January 2012 by IWU student Matt LaLonde ('14), it began across the street from its current location with a generous original donation of tools and a State Farm Neighborhood Assist Grant. Over the years, it has grown quite a bit from humble beginnings (shown in the last picture) to its current stock of tools, materials, and yard care items.

For more information, check out our website under the Programs header!

Photos courtesy of Deborah Halperin.

Address

724 W Washington Street
Bloomington, IL
61701

Opening Hours

Tuesday 11:30am - 4pm
Thursday 4pm - 7pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm

Telephone

+13098291200

Website

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