FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 18, 2013 

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

CITY’S LARGEST MONTHLY VOLUNTEER CLEANUP EVENT

FOCUSES ON MISSION AND CASTRO NEIGHBORHOODS 

Saturday event adds to the 6,000 volunteer hours tallied for the Community Clean Team events this year

San Francisco, CA – Public Works invites volunteers to clean and green neighborhoods in Districts 8 and 9 on Saturday morning for a community-improvement event that rounds out the season for the City’s longest running and largest citywide cleanup program.

"The dedicated volunteers donate their time to beautify the City and they set the example for stewardship and community-building,” said Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru. "This Giant Sweep/Community Clean Team event will concentrate on the Mission and Castro, making these historic neighborhoods cleaner and more beautiful.”

District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener and District 9 Supervisor David Campos will join the more than 200 volunteers who are expected to turn out to care for trees, remove weeds, paint over graffiti and help clean up litter for the final of eight Giant Sweep/Community Clean team work days in 2013.

Who:         Supervisors David Campos and Scott Wiener, public works crews, volunteers 

What:        Giant Sweep/Community Clean Team volunteer event for Districts 8 and 9 

When:       Saturday, Oct. 19, 9 a.m. - 12 noon 

Where:      Kickoff at John O’Connell High School, 2355 Folsom St. (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.sfgiantsweep.org.

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. So far this year, participants volunteered more than 6,000 hours in the program.

Public Works’ Community Clean Team partners include the Recreation and Park Department, the San Francisco Housing Authority, Juvenile Probation Department, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, 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, The Garden Project, Clean City, Caltrans, the Municipal Transportation Agency, the San Francisco Unified School District, the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, SF Parks Alliance, UnitedPlayaz, 

West Bay, Total Outdoor, Glen Park Association, Dolores Parks Works, Community Youth Center, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, USF School of Law, Shotwell Street Neighbors, Boys and Girls Club of San Francisco – Mission Clubhouse, San Francisco State University, 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, SIMS Metal Management, PG&E and for this event, the gas station company 76. Contributions include in-kind services, volunteer hours and financial support.

SELECTED WORK SITES/PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES:

• replanting median at Guerrero Street and 22nd Street
• replanting median at Diamond Heights Boulevard at Goldmine
• planting and debris removal at Richland and San Jose
• graffiti and sticker removal from utility poles at Shotwell and 18th
• litter sweeping at Shotwell,19th to 15th streets 
• litter removal and tree-basin maintenance at Treat, from 20th to 25th streets, and at Harrison, from 20th to 25th streets, and at Shotwell, from 19th to 25th streets
• weeding sidewalks at Market Street, 18th Street to Corbett (project with best view)
• cleanup at Dolores Park
• tree-basin maintenance at kickoff site, 2355 Folsom St.
• sweeping litter at Folsom, 20th to 13th streets