Dear Friends, 

As we near the end of an incredible year, we want to thank you, our biggest supporters! Thanks to your generosity, tens of thousands of volunteers had the tools and resources needed to clean up litter, plant a tree, restore a community playground and so much more, improving the health, quality, and safety of neighborhoods from Erie to Philadelphia.

Help us continue the momentum by making an end of year donation. Large or small, every contribution makes a difference. 

We are so excited about the future and hope you join us in celebrating our successes and looking forward to another prosperous year. Happy holidays to you and your families!

The Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Team

Accepting Litter Hawk Youth Awards Projects

Teachers, Students and group leaders! Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is accepting projects for the Litter Hawk Youth Award Program, a recognition program for students in kindergarten through 6^th grade. Kids can participate individually or as part of a lesson initiated by schools, home-schools, scout troops, 4-H clubs, environmental clubs or other organized groups. 

The theme is: Open Your Eyes to Litter – Show Us What You See
Projects include:

• Grades Kindergarten through 4 - Poster
• Grade 5 – Essay
• Grade 6 – Video

First and second place in each grade level will be awarded a certificate, ribbon and invitation to an awards ceremony at the PA State Capitol Building. All participants will receive a Litter Hawk decal.

Deadline to participate is January 31. Winners will be announced in May in coordination with a display of winning entries at the PA State Capitol Building. For more information and an application click here. 

Revised Open Your Eyes to Litter, Book 1 Available to Purchase
The first book in our Open Your Eyes to Litter series is available to purchase in English and Spanish. The books are $.99 each, plus the cost of shipping. Designed for kids in kindergarten through grade 3, the book is an introduction to what litter is and who it affects and includes thoughtful prompts and fun activities.

All books in the series, along with their teacher's guide are available to download or purchase in bulk. Read more here.  

Community Pride Award 

The Community Pride Award recognizes outstanding environmental stewardship by individuals, schools, community organizations or civic groups that make an outstanding commitment to litter control, recycling, beautification or general environmental stewardship.

Only elected officials can nominate a constituent for a Community Pride Award. This award is open on a rolling basis. Read more about the 2023 recipients here.

• PA State Representative Patrick Stefano, PA House District 22 of Fayette County, nominated Sheila Shea for her efforts to increase and expand recycling efforts throughout Fayette County.
• PA State Representative Rob Mercuri, PA House District 28 of Allegheny County, nominated Lynn Appman for her efforts with the McCandless 'Litter Getters' and coordinating roadside cleanups.   
• Mayor of Upland Borough, William Dennon, nominated the Chester-Ridley-Crum Watersheds Association for 25 years of empowering people to have pride in the watershed.       
• North Lebanon Township Supervisor, Ed Brensinger nominated LuAnn Horn and Kathy Redinger, for countless volunteer hours cleaning up litter.  
• PA Senator Carolyn Comitta, serving the 19th District, nominated the West Chester Green Team and the West Chester Business Improvement District (BID) for planting the Chestnut Street Garage Pollinator Garden.  
• State Representative Ismail "Izzy" Smith-Wade-El, serving the 49th District, nominated The BlockRite Program (of the The Artivist Corp.) for their efforts to clean up neighborhoods as well as mentoring youth.