OPERATION OLIVER

Operation Oliver is an indefinite commitment to the Oliver neighborhood of Baltimore City, an area known for vacant homes, poverty, and crime. Through local partnerships, The 6th Branch is creating a national model of a Veteran Sponsored Community (VSC), utilizing the military experience and veteran skill set to address needs here at home.

Mission: Revitalize Oliver through aggressive act-now initiatives and strategic community partnerships.

How it started: On July 11, 2011, The 6^th Branch organized and led a multi-organizational project of over 200 volunteers from around the country, including over 100 veterans, as part of the Pat Tillman Foundation’s annual Legacy Summit Day of Service. Following this event, The 6^th Branch and Come Home Baltimore announced a long-term partnership and long-term commitment to service in Oliver.

What has been accomplished: More than 65 tons of garbage and debris has been removed from streets and alleyways. Two large murals have been painted. Three green lots have been adopted from Baltimore City and more than 100 trees and shrubs have been planted. Forests of weeds have been knocked back. One resident has been enrolled in a job retraining program through our partner the Baltimore Center for Green Careers, and many others have benefitted from day labor opportunities. Boys were given the opportunity to participate in service learning, attend a college basketball game, and attend a Veterans Day lecture from Marine Gunnery Sergeant Stuart Shine about how to "Dominate your Environment." Weekly community group walk-arounds making more than 150 reports to the city using the 311 mobile app. New homeowners and renters have been taken up residency in Oliver. Nearly 2,000 volunteers from nearly every Baltimore area university along with many other partnering organizations have been mobilized.