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Neighborhood Cleanup

Our Neighborhood Clean-Up Initiative strives to unite neighbors while fostering cleaner, greener, and more vibrant public spaces for all residents.

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The Boston Neighborhood Clean-Up Initiative aims to enhance the city's cleanliness and environmental health. We help residents organize regular clean-up events to engage residents, local businesses and organizations to care for parks, gardens, streets and other public spaces. Volunteers are provided with the necessary tools and support to ensure safe clean-ups. Through these collective actions, the initiative helps create stronger connections in neighborhoods while fostering a sense of pride and responsibility among Boston's diverse communities.

Want to plan a cleanup in a garden, public street, or school in your neighborhood? Choose a location, gather your volunteers, and our team will provide tools and coordinate trash pickup.

Complete the online form

How to Organize a Clean Up

Organize a Clean Up
Contact: Civic Organizing

Is there an area in your neighborhood that could use some love? Once you choose a location, identify what category your cleanup falls under

  • Parks
  • Streets and sidewalks
  • Vacant lots
  • City owned property
  • Private property

What type of project would best address your goals?

  • Trash cleanup
  • Sidewalk and street cleanup
  • Park revitalization
  • Flower planting and mulching*

    *    Please note that the Office of Civic Organizing does not provide flowers or mulch.
  • Talk to your neighbors and recruit interested residents to help plan your cleanup. Consider hosting a neighborhood meeting to discuss details and divide up responsibilities.
  • Designate a group leader.
  • Set the date and time for your cleanup event.
    • Plan at least one month in advance.

    • Have a rain date.* 

      *       When contacting the Civic Organizing team, please discuss potential rain dates ahead of time to avoid conflicts with previously scheduled cleanups. Due to our team's availability, particularly during the busy spring and summer seasons, accommodating rain dates may not always be possible.

  • Organizations in your neighborhood may be able to help plan a cleanup event.

  • Check in with local neighborhood and civic organizations in your area for support and to recruit volunteers.

  • Use our form to submit your request to borrow tools for cleanups taking place in public spaces. Our office will bring these tools to your specified location on the date of your planned cleanup.
  • The following tools are available: brooms, rakes, large shovels, dust pans, trash pickers, wheelbarrows, bags, etc. 
  • Make a plan to properly dispose of trash and yard waste. If your event is taking place on city-owned property - streets, sidewalks, parks - we can help you coordinate a pickup of any yard waste or trash bags. 
  • If syringes or sharps are found during your cleanup, be prepared to respond accordingly. Sharps should always be handled with gloves and should never be placed with regular garbage. We kindly advise all volunteers to refrain from attempting to collect any sharp or hazardous waste. If you come across such items, please report them to Boston 311 either by phone or through the app by submitting a case. 
  • Check this fact sheet for more information.
  • Create a flyer to share with neighbors through email, social media, on local bulletin boards, and on doorsteps.
  • Invite local neighborhood associations and civic groups to come and to share the invitation with their members.
  • Arrive early to the cleanup and consider offering water or refreshments for the volunteers.
  • Assign groups of 2-3 people to focus on different tasks.
  • Be sure to count the tools before and after the cleanup to ensure that no items are lost or left behind.
  • Document your cleanup by taking photos and share with our office!
  • Consider reaching out to all who came to thank them for coming, and acknowledge volunteers and groups who helped. 
  • Share any pictures with the group and save them to spread the word for next time. 
  • Plan a date for your next cleanup!
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