KEEP
PHILADELPHIA
BEAUTIFUL
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
Keep Philadelphia Beautiful’s mission is to engage individuals to take greater responsibility for their community environments by providing resources, education, assistance, and promotion. In 2015, KPB staff and volunteers educated thousands of Philadelphians of all ages about the environmental, social, and economic impacts of litter and recycling; cleared our streets and public spaces of approximately 7,000 pounds of litter; and worked with neighborhood-based organizations throughout the City on programs and strategies aimed at litter reduction.
7,000 POUNDS OF Trash collected
$13,000
Raised and distributed for community beautification
2,655
Philadelphians reached through education initiatives
We’re proud to share our 2015 story with you, and hope you will join us in our mission to Keep Philadelphia Beautiful.
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K E E P P H IL ADE L P H I A B E AUTIF UL
Dear Friends, Each and every day, Keep Philadelphia Beautiful’s Board and Staff think about the many ways that clean, green, and yes, beautiful communities matter: health and safety; economic growth; neighborhood pride and civic engagement. It’s why we do the work we do, and why we are thrilled to share our 2015 accomplishments with you.
A proud affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, our programming – from environmental education to community cleanups and resources for residents and neighborhood-based organizations – is focused on litter abatement and prevention, recycling education and promotion, and waste reduction. Our staff and volunteers get their hands dirty during community cleanups; convene residents and community leaders alike to address issues of neighborhood beautification together; and speak to thousands of Philadelphians of all ages about the impacts of litter, how and why to recycle properly, and tools available to communities and residents to keep their neighborhood beautiful. As we enter 2016, the Keep Philadelphia Beautiful family is energized by the work still to be done, and profoundly grateful for our many partners and friends. We cannot wait to continue working with all of you to Keep Philadelphia Beautiful.
Sincerely, Justin Land BOARD CHAIR
Michelle Feldman
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
2015 AN N UAL R E P O RT
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Cleanup Roundup
Keep Philadelphia Beautiful (KPB) works with the City of Philadelphia, neighborhood based organizations, and private sector partners to engage residents in direct service through community beautification events. This year, with the help of 250 volunteers and 21 partner organizations, we removed approximately 7,000 pounds of debris from our streets, beautified four public spaces, distributed 157 free trees to Philadelphia residents, and more.
Philly Spring Cleanup
Every year, KPB kicks off our community cleanup season as a partner to the City during the annual Philly Spring Cleanup, the nation’s largest one-day effort of its kind – and 2015 was no different. With the Philadelphia Streets Department, Recyclebank, New Kensington Community Development Corporation, and over 50 volunteers, we transformed a blighted lot into a vibrant playground - painting, planting, weeding, and removing over 200 bags of debris along the way.
From Blight 2 Bloom
To highlight the role urban agriculture can play in transforming a community block by block, KPB organized two neighborhood tours and urban garden workdays – in South Philadelphia with Nationalities Services Center and the Burmese and Bhutanese refugee communities, and with South Kensington Community Partners and La Finquita Farm. Volunteers learned about these changing neighborhoods; then, they rolled up their sleeves and mulched, composted, planted and more.
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K E E P P H IL ADE L P H I A B E AUTIF UL
Trees, Trees, and More Trees
Trees are key to the health and vibrancy of our communities and our environment. That is why Keep Philadelphia Beautiful was proud to partner with TreePhilly twice this year at opposite corners of the City. In April, we distributed 25 free trees with CityLights Network in Southwest Philadelphia. And in October, thanks to generous funding from Keep America Beautiful and the UPS Foundation, KPB and the Associated Polish Home gave away over 130 trees to residents in the northeast section of the City.
Weird Waste
In October, KPB partnered with Bennett Compost, the Bella Vista Neighbors Association, and the green mobile application My MilkCrate to collect recyclable items not accepted as part of Philadelphia’s curbside recycling program. Together, we prevented hundreds of pens, markers, plastic bags, hangers, light bulbs and batteries from ending up in a landfill, all while educating numerous Philadelphians about proper recycling. 2015 AN N UAL R E P O RT
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Environmental Education
Creating the next generation of environmental heroes Dedicated to fostering the next generation of action-oriented environmental stewards, Keep Philadelphia Beautiful provides comprehensive education on the impacts of litter and recycling, as well as tools and resources for youth to take on leadership roles in their own communities. We carry out this mission through classroom workshops as well as in-depth work with small cohorts of high school students.
Classroom Presentations on Litter, Recycling, and Composting
With the help of volunteer educators, Keep Philadelphia Beautiful offers no-cost, in-classroom presentations on litter, recycling, and composting for youth of all ages. Students learn about why and how to dispose of waste properly, and how to be leaders in their school and larger community. In 2015, we reached 2,100 elementary, middle and high school students through 40 presentations, a greater than 50% increase over last year.
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K E E P P H IL ADE L P H I A B E AUTIF UL
Litter Free School Zone
This past January through June, Keep Philadelphia Beautiful worked with Science Leadership Academy Beeber high school students to develop, implement and assess a community beautification project. Students planned and carried out an anti-litter public service information campaign that targeted their school as well as the bus line most frequented by their classmates. Through workshops and guest speakers, students gained experience in community organizing and campaign development, sharpened their project management skills, and explored the meaning of community and the importance of civic engagement.
GreenFutures: A School District of Philadelphia Initiative
The School District of Philadelphia is preparing to release its first five-year sustainability management plan, entitled GreenFutures. As part of this initiative, Keep Philadelphia Beautiful, along with the Philadelphia Streets Department and Recyclebank, is working hand in hand with the District as they develop and implement a system-wide, comprehensive recycling program. In 2015, we partnered with the District on education and outreach strategies as well as resources for school principals and their staff, students, parents, and other stakeholders.
2015 AN N UAL R E P O RT
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Community Tools and Resources
In addition to our direct service opportunities and environmental education work, Keep Philadelphia Beautiful aims to add strategic value to anti-litter and greening initiatives carried out by neighborhood-based organizations through research, convening, and funding.
Seed Funding to Fight Litter
Keep Philadelphia Beautiful seed funded three communitybased anti-litter projects in different neighborhoods of the City. Funding awarded by KPB expanded the North 5th Street Revitalization Project’s already-successful Keep 5th Clean PSA campaign; established an annual youth anti-litter art project spearheaded by the Passyunk Square Civic Association and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation; and founded a tool library run by the South Kensington Community Partners, where residents can borrow brooms, rakes, shovels and other cleanup supplies.
Community Cleanup Resource Guide
This fall, Keep Philadelphia Beautiful released the second edition of our annual Community Cleanup Resource Guide, which compiles City government and nonprofit community beautification resources as well as event planning tips and tools. The guide is designed to help residents and neighborhood based organizations take full advantage of existing resources and programs, as well as share our insight into planning impactful community beautification events. Circulated to thousands of Philadelphians, this guide is available at www.keepphiladelphiabeautiful.org/resources.
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K E E P P H IL ADE L P H I A B E AUTIF UL
Litter Convenings
In collaboration with the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations, the Philadelphia Chapter of the Local Initiatives Support Coalition, and the City of Philadelphia’s Commerce and Streets Departments, Keep Philadelphia Beautiful established quarterly convenings of neighborhood-based organizations focused on litter. These meetings are an opportunity for networking; sharing challenges, resources, and best practices; updates on City programs and resources; and working together on projects with citywide implications.
Keep Philadelphia Beautiful in the News
In 2015, Keep Philadelphia Beautiful’s outreach, impact, and thought leadership has been featured in several media stories and op-eds. Read more at www.keepphiladelphiabeautiful.org/media.
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KPB 2015 RESULTS 250
$13,000
7,000
Volunteers engaged
raised and distributed for community beautification
pounds of Trash Collected (348 BAGS)
2,135
4
1.25 tons
19
2 yards
students reached
public spaces beautified
520
adults reached through education initiatives
planters installed
10
11
beds weeded and prepped
of new muLch applied
of compost aerated
1 yard
of compost sifted
new games for youth painted
157
Free trees distributed to Philadelphia residents
KPB 2013 & 2014 RESULTS 816
$40,000
1629
444
Volunteers engaged
raised and dispersed for community beautification
students reached
adults reached through education initiatives
438
350
21 tons
2
Bags of Trash Collected
10
bandit signs removed
of mulch applied
K E E P P H IL ADE L P H I A B E AUTIF UL
Recreation Centers Refreshed
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KEEP PHILADELPHIA BEAUTIFUL 2015
PA E A S SS T YU NK
This map shows every spot in Philadelphia where KPB has given a school or community presentation, hosted a community beautification event, or had a speaking engagement in 2015.
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A Few of Our Strategic Partners Thank you to all of our partners, who make it possible for us to do the work that we do. Keep America Beautiful Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful The Philadelphia Streets Department
Our Board of Directors Justin Land BOARD CHAIR Northeast Regional Public Affairs Manager The Dow Chemical Company
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation City of Philadelphia Office of Sustainability The Philadelphia Managing Director’s Office, PhillyRising Collaborative The Philadelphia Department of Commerce
Karen Lewis BOARD VICE CHAIR Assistant Vice President, External Affairs Drexel University
Recyclebank TreePhilly The North 5th Street Revitalization Project Need in Deed Carver High School of Science and Engineering The School District of Philadelphia, Office of Environmental Management & Services The Science Leadership Academy
Dennis Lee TREASURER The Consulting Group, LLC Nick Marzano Society of Hospital Medicine & Young Involved Philadelphia
Waste Management, Inc. The Sustainable Business Network The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society TTF Watershed Partnership, Inc The Dow Chemical Company SERVE Philadelphia PowerCorps PHL Philadelphia Association of CDCs iHeartMedia The UPS Foundation
KeepPhiladelphiaBeautiful
Peter McDermott S.T. Hudson Engineers, Inc. Charles Raudenbush Waste Management, Inc. Barley Van Clief Tree Tenders Project Manager The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
@beautifulPHL
keepphiladelphiabeautiful.org