Devoted to a Healthy,
Vibrant, Prosperous King
Street For All.
In Partnership with the Charleston Downtown Alliance and the City of Charleston
The King Street Ambassador Program formally launched in April 2023 to co-create a healthy, vibrant, and prosperous King Street — a place where neighbors and local businesses thrive.
The King Street Ambassador Program, managed by Block by Block, the nation’s leading provider of safety, cleaning and hospitality services for districts across the U.S., was created to meet the needs of our growing community. The program provides a direct, accessible connection seven days a week to meet cleaning and hospitality needs as the district continues to attract new businesses, residents, and visitors.
The Team
If you’re out and about in the King Street area, you may see our talented team of 5 ambassadors, (look for their vibrant teal, navy and orange uniforms!) proactively engage in services ranging from daily cleaning services and landscaping maintenance to hospitality and outreach services such as providing directions to visitors, nurturing relationships with local businesses, and supporting King Street events and programs. They’re here for you! Feel free to say hello.
Julie Dutra
John Hayward
Toni White
Coby Daniels
Michael Cumbee
Interested in Becoming a King Street Ambassador?
Reach OutKing Street BID In Action
A Visible Presence
Ambassadors circulate on foot throughout the district daily to create a highly visible, accessible, outgoing, and inviting presence, with an attitude of friendly professionalism, superior customer service, and hospitality. Some Ambassadors may be assigned to navigate their area on a bicycle or in a vehicle. These mobility tools will allow Ambassadors to cover more ground and provide extra visibility without losing the ability to interact with the public while still being connected with the environment. Ambassadors actively greet pedestrians and provide help and support to address a wide range of situations, providing general information that may be helpful and welcoming.
Manual Removal of Litter and Debris
To the extent it can be removed by hand, Ambassadors remove litter, trash, and debris while walking through the service area. Instances of large cleaning needs are documented and reported to the responsible party. Daily, the Ambassadors wipe down and disinfect the BigBelly trash receptacles. They also safely remove biohazard waste and pull weeds in public areas.
Handbill Removal
As part of the normal navigation of the service area and secondary to the primary task of serving the public, Ambassadors remove handbills, stickers, posters and similar items form utility poles, mailboxes, courier boxes, newspaper or magazine boxes and kiosks, parking meters and other fixtures.
Graffiti Removal
Ambassadors remove small graffiti tags from public infrastructure within 24 hours after the graffiti appears or is reported. They do not provide graffiti removal services on private property.
Improved Quality-of-Life downtown
Ambassadors discourage aggressive solicitation and other prohibited behaviors, report crimes to the proper authority, and advise offenders of local ordinances and request compliance. All Ambassadors are trained in ‘situational protocol’ to appropriately handle situations in a firm, yet courteous, manner.
Social Service Outreach and Referrals
Ambassadors actively make connections with people who appear to need mental or physical health services, substance misuse treatment, emergency shelter, and/or housing. They provide resource information, make referrals to social service agencies, or connect social service case managers and agency personnel staffs to people on the streets. Additionally, the program stays engaged with local social service providers to maximize success rates of referrals.
Property and Business Contacts
Ambassadors interact directly with property and business owners, managers, and security personnel to build a network, provide and receive information relevant to downtown safety and hospitality, and to raise public awareness of the program.