Group launches trash pickup service for homeless camps

Click here for updates on this story

    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — BeLoved Asheville launched a new project called BeLoved Camp Clean on March 13, which provides access to cleanup supplies, trash and recycling cans, and pickup to residents in the City of Asheville who camp because they do not have a home.

BeLoved organizers said homeless residents in the city are eager to use this service, and have wanted it, but previously did not have access to this type of service.

“There are a lot of complaints that happen, but we need to think about what is the solution. What we realized is, people don’t have trash service,” said Amy Cantrell, with BeLoved Asheville.

BeLoved Camp Clean will work in collaboration with camp residents to provide infrastructure, supplies and support to care for their camp.

The project will also work to help clean up former camps by recycling camping gear and cleaning those areas.

“We have been connected to people who are camping in our community because of the housing crisis. Many of them are want to live in a clean environment but lack the access to things like trash bags, receptacles and a way for trash and recycling to be picked up,” said Adrienne Sigmon, BeLoved Asheville co-director. “BeLoved Asheville is a community building organization. We listen to people, hearing their struggles and work with them towards solutions.”

BeLoved will be adding receptacles at camps throughout the City and will do pickups of trash and recycling multiple times a week through a system they have put in place.

Trash cans and recycling cans were set up March 13 at homeless camps around the City of Asheville as BeLoved Asheville launched its Beloved Camp Clean project to provide access to cleanup supplies, trash and recycling cans, and pickup to residents in the City of Asheville who camp because they do not have a home. (Photo credit: Ponkho Bermejo, BeLoved Asheville)

“Our friends at the Lexington Avenue Bridge camp have already organized themselves to each take one day a week to clean. This gives people living on the streets the same resources as housed people have to take care of their trash and recycling and removal. We wanted to support this and other camps to honor their intentions,” Sigmon continued.

“What BeLoved has done is so helpful to us. We want to keep our camp clean and try our best but it is hard without the supplies that we need,” said J, a resident at Lexington Avenue Bridge camp. “Having these trash and recycling cans here and having them help pick up the trash is incredible.”

Anyone interested in volunteering with BeLoved’s Camp Clean project or in donating funds or supplies to help the project can visit the the BeLoved website.

For $185, a sponsor can provide the necessary tools for a single homeless camp — trash and recycling cans, trash bags and more.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.