NOW OPEN: 
Litter Hawk Youth Award Program for K-6 Students!
Calling all teachers, group leaders, parents and guardians, the Litter Hawk Youth Award is back!  This year’s Litter Hawk Youth Award theme is: Join the Greatest American Cleanup! Show us how you can keep your community litter free for America’s 250th birthday, in support of the Greatest American Cleanup, Keep America Beautiful’s national three-year campaign to motivate, educate and celebrate communities to clean up and green up ahead of the Country’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026. The Litter Hawk Youth Award program, funded by PA Department of Environmental Protection, is designed for kids in grades K through 6 to help people see how litter and trash hurt our environment through art, words and video.

Winners will be announced in April 2025 in coordination with an awards ceremony at the PA State Capitol Building where all winning entries will be on display as part of the 2025 Litter Hawk Youth Exhibit. All winners and their families, guardians and teachers are welcome to attend. Special guests will include representatives from the PA Department of Environmental Protection and America250PA.

Allegheny CleanWays staff and volunteers participated in the 2024 Pittsburgh Garbage Olympics as part of Pick Up Pennsylvania, supporting the International Coastal Cleanup. 

Still Time to Join Pick Up Pennsylvania and Support the International Coastal Cleanup

Groups and individuals are cleaning up their favorite shared public spaces through Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Pick Up Pennsylvania program, supporting the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. Through November 30, volunteers will be provided with free trash bags, gloves, and safety vests, as supplies last, when they register a cleanup with Pick Up Pennsylvania. Both waterway and land-based cleanups are eligible for the program since a significant portion of waterway pollution originates on land. Events must be registered with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful to receive supplies. Join an existing cleanup event or register your own by visiting Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Calendar of Events. Large or small, they all make a difference. Pick Up Pennsylvania is funded by PA Department of Environmental Protection. Learn more.  

Keep America Beautiful, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, partners, sponsors, affiliates and friends ring opening bell at Nasdaq. 

America Recycles Day: KPB Joins Nasdaq Opening Ceremony

In honor of America Recycles Day, held annually on November 15, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful was in New York City with Keep America Beautiful to ring the Nasdaq opening bell! This event is a reminder to recycle right every day! We invite all residents and whole communities to recognize the economic, environmental, and social benefits associated with reducing, reusing, repurposing and recycling and to continue to be mindful of how our waste is handled 365 days a year whether it’s at school, home or whole communities. When combined, our small, individual actions can make a significant environmental impact. Watch Ken Anderson, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful board member participate in the opening bell ceremony here.  

SKIP Chair, Mandy Fitzpatrick (center), Schuylkill County Solid Waste and Recycling Coordinator, Kyle Swetz (far right) and volunteers clean up a portion of Pottsville’s schools and recreation area.

Schuylkill Keep It Pretty Newest KPB Affiliate

We are delighted to announce that Schuylkill Keep It Pretty (SKIP) is our newest affiliate! SKIP aims to coordinate and manage county-wide cleanups, support county recycling events and provide environmental education opportunities for youth and communities. The Schuylkill Keep It Pretty affiliate is supported by the Schuylkill County Commissioners and is in partnership with the Schuylkill Office of Solid Waste & Recycling.

Mandy Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of Schuylkill Connects and Kyle Swetz, Solid Waste and Recycling Coordinator, will serve as coordinators for SKIP affiliate programs. They can be reached at skiplitter@gmail.com or 570-628-1220. Learn more.

Find an affiliate near you.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Participates in Power of Beauty Event to Kick Off Greatest American Cleanup 

We were excited to announce that Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, was invited to speak at the Keep America Beautiful (KAB) Power of Beauty event in New York City in support of the Greatest American Cleanup, an initiative of KAB to make America look it best for our nation's 250th birthday celebration in 2026. This inspiring gathering united numerous organizations, passionate individuals, and KAB affiliates from across the country, all sharing a common goal: to create positive change in our communities.

Our participation in this event was an honor, providing a platform to highlight the incredible efforts of tens of thousands of volunteers from Pennsylvania who work tirelessly to ensure their neighborhoods remain clean, green and beautiful. Your essential contributions are the backbone of our mission, and we are proud to shine a light on your unwavering support and commitment.

Affiliate Activations for Greatest American Cleanup

Local affiliates, Scranton Tomorrow and Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling hosted elected officials declaring their support for the Greatest American Cleanup. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful granted each affiliate $1,000, funded by MPLX, a segment of Marathon Petroleum Corporation, to support clean and green campaign activities. For more information on how you can support this campaign, visit Greatest America Cleanup.