Accepting Applications for Healing the Planet Grant Program 

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, in partnership with The GIANT Company, is accepting applications for grants of up to $20,000 for projects that address food waste prevention, reduction, and recovery across The GIANT Company’s operating area in the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia. 

Projects can include community composting, increased access to compost for agricultural producers, educational programs regarding food waste prevention, reduction and recovery and diversion of food waste from landfills.  Community gardens are eligible for funding but must have a food waste prevention, reduction and or recovery component, such as education. 

A total of $300,000 will be awarded. Deadline for online applications is April 13, 2023 at 4pm. Awardees will be announced in June. See application, program guidelines, frequently asked questions and more here. 

Jenna Mayer, Main Street Manager, Oxford Mainstreet. Inc; Kathryn Cloyd, President, Oxford Borough Council; Senator Carolyn Comitta, District 19; Brian Dix, Executive Director, Oxford Mainstreet, Inc.

Senator Carolyn Comitta Nominates Oxford Borough for KPB Community Pride Award

State Senator Carolyn Comitta, District 19, recently presented Oxford Borough officials with the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Community Pride Award. Comitta nominated the borough for the honor for its overall community beautification and greening efforts.

“As a former mayor, I know just how important downtown beautification can be in supporting revitalization,” Comitta said. “It drives business and sales, encourages tourism, enhances community engagement, promotes private investment, benefits the environment, and adds personality, highlighting the character of your community. I want to thank all of the staff and volunteers who take pride in their hometowns and are working to keep Oxford and Pennsylvania beautiful.”

The Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Community Pride Award recognizes outstanding environmental stewardship by an individual, school, community organization or civic group that makes a commitment to litter control, recycling or general beautification.

The Community Pride Award is available to elected officials to recognize those in the community working to change behaviors at the local level and is open on a rolling basis.   

Welcome New Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Affiliates

We’re looking forward to working together with our new affiliates to enhance existing programs.

Keep Chester County Beautiful - At the request of the Chester County Commissioners, the affiliate will be housed in and become a program of the Chester County Planning Commission.

Scranton Tomorrow - The affiliate will be housed in and become a program of Scranton Tomorrow. 

Click here for more information about becoming an affiliate and for a complete list of affiliates. 

Join Pick Up Pennsylvania to Fight Dirty in Your Neighborhood 

Are you ready to Fight Dirty? Registration is open for the 2023 Pick Up Pennsylvania! Pick Up Pennsylvania is a year-long initiative, however, events scheduled from March 1 through May 31 are eligible to receive free trash bags, gloves, and safety vests provided by support from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, PennDOT, Ocean Conservancy and Keep America Beautiful, as supplies last. Events can include litter cleanups, illegal dump cleanups, community greening and beautification, special collections and education events. Disposal, free or at a reduced rate, is available for registered events from April 1 through April 30. Events must be registered here to receive free cleanup supplies and disposal discounts.

Want to fight dirty, but don't know where to start? Watch our recorded webinar to learn more about hosting a community cleanup, choosing an event location, organizing and mobilizing volunteers, coordinating trash disposal, navigating our website and more!

Emily Rinker, far right, and cleanup volunteers with their cache of the day.  

Litter Free School Zone

A student at York Adams Academy in North York, Pennsylvania is using the Litter Free School Zone program as her senior project. Emily Rinker coordinated her peers to clean up a stream that runs into the river by the York Rail Trail. Part of Emily's project plan is to pass the baton onto the next student who will run the program and cleanup next year, ensuring long-term stewardship of the school grounds and surrounding area.

The students collected 8 bags of trash, 2 tires and 3 bulky items during the cleanup held on March 3. "I didn't realize how much people litter and how much trash there is to pick up. I think it's important to keep the earth clean," said Rinker.

Melanie Meakin, Administrative Assistant to the Director and Staff Coordinator helped Emily with the coordination and planning of her project and will serve as the Litter Free School Zone advisor. "Community Service is something I am very passionate about. I am excited to participate in this program and clean up organized by Emily. Together, Emily and other York Adams Academy students can make a positive impact on our community," said Meakin.

Our Litter Free School Zone is a fun and easy way to keep your school grounds free from litter and for students to make a positive impact on the local environment and community. Make your school a Litter Free School Zone! Click here for more information.

Land and Water Stewards

Being stewards of our roads, trails, waterways and other shared public spaces benefits the whole community. Not only does it reduce hazards associated with litter, areas that are maintained are more inviting to visitors and reduce costs associated with maintenance. We are all responsible for keeping our communities clean and beautiful. Join one of our programs today to become a steward of your favorite places!

Road and Area Adoption Program – Our adoption program is available statewide for municipal roads, parks, neighborhood blocks, greenways and trails. We provide a sign recognizing the volunteers’ efforts. Click here for more information.

Waterway Stewards Program – Register to be a waterway steward and collect litter and stream health data while cleaning your favorite waterway. You choose where you want to clean and it can be a different waterway each time. If you are a water trail user, angler, boater or waterway enthusiast interested in community science and building long term stewardship of our water trails, click here for more information.

Shannon Reiter, President, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful; Kylie McCutcheon, Affiliate Coordinator, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful; Jenny Lawson, President, Keep America Beautiful; CJ Chen, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Young Ambassador; Natasha Fackler, Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful board member.  

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Presents at National Conference

Pennsylvania received national attention at the 2023 Keep America Beautiful National Conference. We were honored to present our recent, joint Enforcement Study with PalmettoPride, facilitate the anti-litter campaigns plenary session, where Pennsylvania's new PA Fights Dirty Campaign was featured, and  participate as a panelist for the youth engagement break-out session. However, the highlight for us was that one of our Young Ambassadors, CJ Chen joined Keep America Beautiful President, Jenny Lawson and Steven A. Culbertson, President & CEO, and Karen L. Daniel, Vice President of Programs of Youth Service America to share their experience as a Young Ambassador of Pennsylvania and strategies for working with todays youth. Thank you for making the trip, CJ!

Volunteers of the Year and Community Partners Named for 2022

Each year, we provide an opportunity for affiliates to recognize the outstanding efforts of local volunteers and community partners whose dedication, commitment and exceptional contributions are essential to the success of local community programming. Click here to read their stories.