ANAHEIM – When Anaheim Realtor Steve Rosco showed up at the Balsam-Curtis neighborhood Saturday to pick up trash from the street and front lawns and clean up graffiti, he was greeted with smiles and handshakes from parents. Neighborhood children lined up by his side to help. And within an hour, most of their work was done.

That was in stark contrast to the first time Rosco, 57, and a handful of other Anaheim volunteers arrived in the neighborhood for the first time a year ago. Back then, they were greeted by mounds of trash, by walls and garage doors covered with gang tagging and by plenty of suspicious stares. "There's a big difference in a year," Rosco said. "Anaheim is my home, it's their home and it's important that we're all involved to show we care about where we live."

Saturday's cleanup, followed by a community barbecue, was the fourth and final event in a yearlong pilot program sponsored by the city, police, the Rotary Club and Anaheim Beautiful, a non-profit dedicated to improving neighborhoods. The goal: to instill community pride and discourage graffiti in a neighborhood of tightly packed apartments, browning lawns and plenty of security bars. Program leaders have identified two so-called "community captains" – residents who live in the neighborhood – to continue organizing cleanups, with the help of city resources. Two Rotarians will return four times in the coming year to help the community captains run the cleanup campaign. After that, they hope, the neighborhood will continue to organize cleanups on its own.

At Saturday's event, two dozen community volunteers worked with residents to pick up trash and paint over graffiti. City recreation leaders, Cops 4 Kids and bookmobile librarians set up pop-up tents on the closed-off street and talked to children and parents about programs the city has to offer. "Our hope is that kids will pick up a book instead of spray can and focus on positive things," said Marty De Sollar, a city spokeswoman. Police and code-enforcement officers went door-to-door to let residents know they are available to help with problems, not just impose penalties. They also talked to teenagers and a few suspected gang members to let them know authorities are watching – graffiti and crime won't be allowed. "The important thing here is to let this neighborhood know that they have not been forgotten, they aren't a throwaway. They are part of the city just like any other neighborhood," said Councilwoman Lucille Kring, who participated in the cleanup. For many residents, it was the first time they had met a council member, the first time they had ever spoken to a police officer. "Initially, I was afraid to get involved," Elsa Ucelo, 47, mother of a 12-year-old son, said in Spanish. "But it has really made a difference. It's cleaner and more people are taking pride in our neighborhood."

There have been setbacks. Some gang members, apparently feeling challenged by the city's efforts, plastered walls and garage doors with graffiti last week as "an in-your-face gesture," organizers said. The difference this time: Neighbors immediately reported the vandalism and all the graffiti was removed within hours.

Organizers hope to identify other Anaheim neighborhoods in need of similar attention, and expand the pilot program with funding from other nonprofits and service groups. "If we were depending only on one group like Rotary or just on the city, it would seem like a major challenge," said Vic Dominguez, a Rotarian who is leading the project. "But if you look at all the groups and volunteers in this city who can help, we believe we can make a real difference."

Ucelo said the program has helped her understand that city services are available to her and her neighborhood and she needs to step up her efforts to help. She has volunteered to become a community captain and will help organize future cleanups. Susan Faessel, a resident of Anaheim since 1960 and the incoming president of Anaheim Beautiful, said she took a drive through the Balsam-Curtis neighborhood on a recent weekday. "I was encouraged that mothers were outside playing with their children," Faessel said. "This is part of Anaheim like any other neighborhood and they should be proud. We are just giving them a hand up."