A new nonprofit is letting neighbors ‘adopt’ a block to keep clean
By Joe Vithayathil
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BEAVERTON, Oregon (KPTV) — In the last year, thousands of people have joined a new organization working to clean up local neighborhoods.
It’s called Adopt One Block, and in Beaverton, Jessica Miyake and her daughter Hana Glasby have adopted their own block to take care of.
“I take walks with my dog and I’d see trash. It made me really disappointed in the people that throw trash all over the place,” Glasby said. “I decided I needed to clean this up.”
The Portland-based nonprofit Adopt One Block started just over a year ago. People signing up are given responsibility for a block in their neighborhood, and then it’s their job to keep it clean on their own schedule.
“It was fun!” said Glasby. “It was really fun and I felt like it helped the community.”
Olivia Langley, Adopt One Block Operations Manager, said the feedback from neighbors has been incredibly positive.
“You go outside, neighbors see you pick up your trash and they say ‘thank you,’” Langley said.
Adopt One Block is free to join and the nonprofit provides volunteers with the cleaning supplies needed to get started.
In the time since Glasby started cleaning her neighborhood, she’s also encouraged 40 other families at her school to join the organization. Adopt One Block said in the 15 months since the organization began, more than 5,000 volunteers have signed up across Oregon and Washington.
“I think despite political differences everyone can agree you want to keep your neighborhood clean,” Miyake said.
For more information, visit Adopt One Block’s website.
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