I was inspired by what I saw this past Thursday.
There were residents, business owners, community leaders, and City employees all working together to make a positive difference in the neighborhood.
I think it’s safe to say that our first major community cleanup since we launched the Philadelphia Resilience Project was a huge success.
No child should have to walk past syringes on their way to school. No residents should feel unsafe. And no one should have to suffer through addiction without access to housing and treatment. And we’re working on this all — together. #ResilientPHL pic.twitter.com/HtaONhiOlu
— Jim Kenney (@PhillyMayor) November 1, 2018
Here are some of the highlights from the day:
- 103 (!) total tons of trash and debris collected
- 90 miles of streets swept
- 263 volunteers participated from 31 community groups
- 38 vacant lots cleaned
- 107 properties cleaned of graffiti
- 38 blocks cleaned
That’s a lot of progress for one day. But, know that this is just the beginning. We believe that every resident deserves to live in a city that is safe and clean.
Community cleanups are a major part of our strategy to reduce trash and litter in the neighborhood.
To all of you who came out on Thursday, thank you for being a part of this. It was more than just a cleanup. It was about building community and remembering that there are no throwaway people, and no throwaway neighborhoods.
There’s much more work to do, but I think we’ve made some pretty big strides so far.
