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Keep Akron Beautiful outlines April cleanup month, secures EPA grant and plans citywide mailer
Summary
Keep Akron Beautiful told the Public Service Committee that April is Cleanup Akron Month, announced an Ohio EPA grant award and said it will use part of the funding to mail a resident-focused information packet citywide about litter prevention and recycling.
Jackie, representing Keep Akron Beautiful, briefed the Public Service Committee on the nonprofit’s April Cleanup Akron Month activities, volunteer mobilization, graffiti removal schedule and a recent grant award from the Ohio EPA.
“April is Cleanup Akron Month,” Jackie said. She told the committee the nonprofit provides cleanup supplies (trash bags, recycle bags, gloves, Purell and litter grabbers), registers volunteers at keepakronbeautiful.org and either assigns cleanup locations or allows volunteers to choose them. Larger cleanups receive delivered supplies and mapping assistance; Keep Akron Beautiful collects the trash after volunteer events.
Jackie said the group secured an Ohio EPA grant that, combined with matching funds, totals about $90,000; she said the EPA portion is approximately $70,000. The funding will underwrite a range of outreach and cleanup activities, including a planned colored mailer to every household in the city this year that the nonprofit described as a central outreach tool to explain what Keep Akron Beautiful does and to promote recycling and litter prevention. She said radio and social media outreach will continue and that the nonprofit is open to attending ward meetings.
Committee members asked about partnerships and complaint processes. In response to Councilman Bolder’s question about Preserve the Valley, Jackie said Keep Akron Beautiful provides supplies and works with event organizers even when events fall on the same date as other cleanups. She said the organization coordinates with the city’s trash and enforcement teams on illegal dump removal; city staff added they have seen reductions in some categories of illegal dumping after focused enforcement and cleanup action. Jackie noted graffiti-removal blasting equipment is winterized and typically becomes available in early May when temperatures permit consistent 65°F operation.
Committee members raised operational concerns the group has encountered, including tire and boat dumping. Jackie said staff have observed an uptick in abandoned boats recently and that the nonprofit will continue to handle complaints and escalate large removals through city channels.
The committee thanked Keep Akron Beautiful for its volunteer network and said members plan to support outreach and coordination for the spring cleanup season.
