Keep America Beautiful Launches 2017 Great American Cleanup; Encourages Family, Friends and Neighbors to #cleanYOURblock

Millions of volunteers take action to clean, restore and renew America during nation’s largest xommunity improvement program
Mar 20, 2017 10:15 AM ET

STAMFORD, Conn., March 20, 2017 /3BL Media/ – Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s leading nonprofit that envisions a country in which every community is a clean, green and beautiful place to live, today announced the official launch of the 2017 Great American Cleanup. Entering its 19th year, Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup is the nation’s largest community improvement program with an estimated 50,000 events occurring from spring through fall in more than 20,000 communities across the country. Find a local Keep America Beautiful Affiliate at kab.org.

The Great American Cleanup engages more than 5 million volunteers and participants who take action in their local communities to create positive change and lasting environmental, economic and social impact. Nationally, the Great American Cleanup annually delivers more than $175 million in measurable economic benefits to communities. The program is led by more than 620 Keep America Beautiful state and community-based affiliates and hundreds of other community, business and government partners who plan community improvement events and experiential education programs that help to:

  • Clean and improve 100,000+ miles of local roads, trails, shorelines and waterways;
  • Plant millions of flowers, trees, shrubs and community gardens;
  • Revitalize and restore acres upon acres of public parks, nature trails and recreation areas as well as vacant lots;
  • Collect tons of litter, debris and other items for proper disposal, recycling or reuse.

#cleanYOURblock Party

This year’s Great American Cleanup theme –“#cleanYOURblock Party” – encourages people to volunteer at a local Great American Cleanup event in their community, organize an event on their own block and to celebrate their positive actions with friends, family and neighbors. The #cleanYOURblock Party Toolkit from Keep America Beautiful provides activity ideas and other tips at kab.org.

National sponsors of the 2017 Great American Cleanup include Altria, Dow, The Glad Products Company, Lowe's, Niagara Bottling and ReadyRefresh by Nestlé. In select Keep America Beautiful affiliate communities, Marco’s Pizza, the fastest-growing pizza company in the U.S. (based on number of stores signed into development since 2007), will provide free pizza parties for volunteers and participants after Great American Cleanup events.

“It’s inspiring to see millions of volunteers, businesses, public officials and others turn out each year for Great American Cleanup events to ensure that our nation’s vital public spaces – our parks, trails, beaches, oceans, rivers, lakes, roadways, community gateways and more – remain clean, green and beautiful places to live,” said Mike Rosen, senior vice president, marketing & communications, Keep America Beautiful.

Start or Join a #cleanYOURblock Team!

Visit act.kab.org/cleanyourblock to create your own Great American Cleanup #cleanYOURblock team. Set up an individual fundraising page or join someone else’s team today! Invite family, friends and neighbors to join you at a local Great American Cleanup event, clean YOUR block, and celebrate your accomplishment! Make a donation today to Keep America Beautiful to advance the fight to End Littering, Improve Recycling and Beautify America’s Communities.

“We’re excited to make it even easier to participate in the Great American Cleanup and to support Keep America Beautiful by volunteering at one of the 50,000 events taking place throughout the year, organizing an event on your own block, and celebrating the work and contributions of millions of people who support Keep America Beautiful. Now let’s get to work!” Rosen added.

About Keep America Beautiful
At Keep America Beautiful, we want to ensure that beauty is our lasting signature. A leading national nonprofit, Keep America Beautiful inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. We envision a country in which every community is a clean, green, and beautiful place to live. Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful provides the expertise, programs and resources to help people End Littering, Improve Recycling, and Beautify America’s Communities. The organization is driven by the work and passion of more than 620 state and community-based Keep America Beautiful affiliates, millions of volunteers, and the support of corporate partners, municipalities, elected officials, and individuals. To donate or take action, visit kab.org. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, like us on Facebook, or view us on YouTube.