The City of Tacoma is partnering with two community-led litter cleanup groups, Litter Free 253 and Oscar’s Enemies, for a Citywide Cleanup Event on Saturday, September 19, from 10 a.m. to noon. Volunteers can participate at locations across Tacoma, with bags, gloves and litter picking equipment provided at every site.
The event’s headline location is in Downtown Tacoma near the intersection of Commerce Street and Pacific Avenue. The City’s Tidy-Up Tacoma crews will concentrate their efforts in the surrounding area, between South 24th and 25th streets, with work that goes beyond litter pickup to include graffiti mitigation and new trash can installations. Volunteers are welcome to join the effort here or at any of the 13 other sites around the city.
“Thank you to all the volunteers and City staff that are making this event possible,” said Mayor Anders Ibsen. “We want a clean, beautiful Tacoma and this event helps make that possible.”
“I am so grateful to all the members of the community and organizations for coming together to help clean-up efforts in our city,” said Deputy Mayor Joe Bushnell. “Keeping litter off our streets and waterways is a collective responsibility, and efforts like these help bring community together and build a sense of pride for our city.”
“Tidy-Up Tacoma has always been about finding ways to partner with our community to help prevent and pick up litter,” said District 1 Council Member John Hines. “Our city has incredible volunteers, and their hard work plays an integral role in keeping Tacoma beautiful. It inspires me when our community members set out to help resolve issues of concern in our community. I look forward to joining in this event, meeting volunteers, and potentially adding some new items to my ‘weirdest litter picked up’ list.”
“One of the things I love about litter cleanup is the opportunity to connect with community,” said District 2 Council Member Sarah Rumbaugh. “I have seen this firsthand through organizing cleanups, where people come together around a shared purpose and end up talking about the issues that matter to them, getting to know their neighbors and building relationships that extend beyond that one experience. I really appreciate all of the nonprofits and community groups involved in this work because they are creating those opportunities for people to come together and build connections that last beyond the cleanup itself.”
All sites will be staffed and supplied, and volunteers can choose to participate at whichever location they prefer. No experience is necessary, and all ages and abilities are welcome. Volunteers are strongly encouraged to sign up in advance at tacoma.gov/tidyup to help organizers plan for supplies.
This event is part of the City’s ongoing Tidy-Up Tacoma initiative and reflects a growing partnership between City services and community-led groups working to keep Tacoma’s neighborhoods clean.
More information, including a list of site locations and information on how to sign up, is available at tacoma.gov/tidyup.