Pilot program being created to start weekly street cleaning in Point Breeze
Trash: it’s a problem we’re constantly talking about. There have been plenty of conversations about a street cleaning program for the city lately, but we don’t know if that will ever become a reality. So what can be done to help fix this problem? For one thing, events like the Philly Spring Cleanup help, but other initiatives need to be put in place to make a change.
That’s where a new Point Breeze litter cleaning program comes into play. Starting in May, Point Breeze hopes to bring on the Ready, Willing & Able team to clean a pilot area of the neighborhood. In order to make this a reality, they’re continuing to raise money to meet a $5,000 goal by the end of this month. That $5,000 will then be matched by the Point Breeze Community Development Corporation.
This program would bring a crew to clean-up trash once a week in the area between 19th and 24th Streets, from Alter to Federal Streets, along with the corner of Oakford Street and Point Breeze Avenue. The day being chosen for this weekly cleanup is Wednesday, so any litter that didn’t make it into the city’s trash pickup can be more effectively cleaned.
The annual cost for this program would be $6,520.98, not including larger cleanup projects like weeding, lot cleaning and snow removal in winter.
Ready, Willing & Able, the organization that would be facilitating the cleanups, is meant to provide support to homeless and previously incarcerated individuals through job training and opportunities. These individuals would be outfitted in blue uniforms while working in the area. The Streets Departments assists with the disposal of the garbage collected by the crew.
To make this a reality, fundraising efforts are underway. They’re currently about halfway to their goal and are still looking for contributions. If you’re interested in making this program a reality, you can make a donation through Paypal. If that goal is met, the program will begin in May. Questions can be directed to cleanpointbreezestreets@gmail.com.
I worked a little with Ready, Willing and Able in NYC and they were a really great organization.
I live across Broad but am making a donation with the hopes that if the pilot works, they can help come deal with the mess that is my block on the Wednesday of trash pick-up.
Would really love this/need this in EPX as well.
+1 much much needed in EPX
Passyunk has a street sweeping program already. I believe the guys come out weekly. Otherwise it would probably look like what Point Breeze looks like now.
Regardless, this is good news.
Need street and sidewalk sweeping in LOMO desperately!!
This is great. We live within the pilot area and trash is constant nuisance. I tried to contribute to the cause but the link does not seem to work.
Ready, Willing and Able does a wonderful job of keeping West Passyunk clean and attractive. The spring plantings also look beautiful — just wish it could look that way the entire year. This is a much-needed and long-overdue program. If it too is a success, perhaps the program can grow to encompass clean-ups city wide.
It really is such a simple concept though — if everyone swept in front of their own front door and kept their trash to themselves, none of this would be necessary.
I have been picking up trash in Bella Vista and Newbold ceaselessly for the past 32 years and have probably expended thousands of hours in 32 years picking up other people’s trash. It is my way of leaving the earth a bit better than I found it. But as I continue to get older, I’m getting tired and it’s getting old now.
The rudeness and apathy of people who cannot dispose of their own trash and throw it on other people’s property while they are walking, driving or biking is reprehensible.