FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JULY 19, 2013 

Rachel Gordon, Public Works, (415) 554-6045

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO SPRUCE UP DISTRICT 11 NEIGHBORHOODS 

Saturday event promotes cleaning and greening; celebrates Nelson Mandela's commitment to service

San Francisco, CA – The Department of Public Works invites volunteers to clean and green the Excelsior, Balboa Park and other District 11 neighborhoods on Saturday morning for a community service tribute to Nelson Mandela.

Mandela, leader of the anti-apartheid movement, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and the former president of South Africa, turned 95 this week.

"Volunteers all over the world are marking his birthday with organized community service activities," said San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru. "Nelson Mandela understood the value of public service in order to build a more peaceful, just and sustainable world. By volunteering your time caring for San Francisco, you are contributing to the positive change he envisioned."

District 11 Supervisor John Avalos will join the nearly 200 volunteers who are expected to turn out to care for trees, remove weeds, paint over graffiti and help clean up litter for the season’s sixth of eight Community Clean team work days.

WHO: Supervisor John Avalos, Public Works crews, community volunteers 

WHAT: Community Clean Team/Giant Sweep volunteer event for District 11 

WHEN: Saturday, July 20, 9 a.m. - 12 noon 

WHERE: Kickoff at Balboa High School, 1000 Cayuga Ave. (Work sites listed below)

The event is a part of Giant Sweep, a citywide anti-litter campaign launched this year that partners the City, the World Champion San Francisco Giants, local schools, residents, businesses, and community groups to keep San Francisco clean and beautiful. For more information or to sign up to volunteer, visit www.sfdpw.org/volunteer.

Last year, 5,986 Community Clean Team volunteers planted 1,325 trees, bushes and plants; removed 62 tons of litter and debris from sidewalks and parks; removed 54 tons of green waste from sidewalks and medians; abated graffiti from more than 47,000 sq. ft. of public property; trimmed 50 trees; and improved 308 tree basins.

The Department of Public Works’ Community Clean Team partners include the Recreation and Park Department, the San Francisco Housing Authority, Juvenile Probation Department, San Francisco Arts Commission, all 11 members of the Board of Supervisors, the San Francisco Police Department, the Department of the Environment, the Sheriff’s Department, Clean City, Caltrans, the Municipal Transportation Agency, the San Francisco Unified School District, the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, SF Parks Alliance, United Playaz, San Francisco Baha’i Faith, Cayuga Improvement Association, Galileo Families in Transition, Ney Street Neighbors, ACCE Ocean View Neighbors, Balboa High School staff, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Mission Neighborhood Centers and Project 20 Pretrial Diversion Program.

Community Clean Team is sponsored by Public Works, Starbucks, Walgreens, Recology, Academy of Art University, the Emerald Fund, the San Francisco Hilton, Luxor Cab Co., Laborers’ Local 261 and PG&E. Contributions include in-kind services, volunteer hours and financial support.

SELECTED WORK SITES/PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES: 

o Weed and spread wood chips along Alemany Boulevard and Crystal Street 

o Weed tree basins along Mission Street from Trumbull Street to the county line. 

o Weed tree basins along Alemany Boulevard from Geneva Avenue to Sickles Street 

o Spruce up Alemany Boulevard from Naglee Avenue to Farragut Avenue 

o Maintain and beautify median on Winding Way from Drake Street to Prague Street 

o Compost giveaway at June Jordan School, 325 La Grande Ave. 

o Balboa Park beautification project (San Jose and Ocean avenues) 

o Weed tree basins along Broad Street from Orizaba to San Jose avenues 

o Litter pickup around Denman Middle School, 241 Oneida Ave. 

o Weed tree basins along Randolph Street from Orizaba to Junipero Serra Boulevard

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