Community Cleanups
In addition to hosting cleanups in our community, Keep Austin Beautiful encourages you to organize your own!
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About the program
What are Community Cleanups?
Have you seen an area in your neighborhood in need of a cleanup? Keep Austin Beautiful makes it easy to lead your own!
We will provide all the supplies needed to run a successful cleanup, and can arrange to have the trash picked up from a designated area. We can also help recruit volunteers for large cleanups by posting your cleanup to our online events calendar.
How to get started with organizing your Community Cleanup
Contact Keep Austin Beautiful at least two weeks in advance to request supplies, or at least three weeks in advance for supplies and trash pickup.
We’ll respond to you to confirm your request and supply available pickup times within 48 business hours.
Pick up and drop off your supplies at the Keep Austin Beautiful office at your designated time. Make sure to return your signed liability waivers!
Complete the impact report form to let us know how your event went, and send our team photos from your cleanup!
Additional resources for your cleanup
- Sign-in / Liability Release
- Safety guidelines
- Recycling tips
- Poison ivy fact sheet
- Tips on organizing a cleanup
- Report trash in public spaces with an Austin Litter Report
- Tips and resources from “Let’s Can It! Austin“
- For more information about litter mitigation in Texas, check out Keep Texas Beautiful and “Don’t Mess with Texas”, a program of TxDot
Don’t forget to fill out your impact report form!
Frequently asked questions
What is litter abatement?
Litter abatement is the process of beautifying a space in need of trash removal to ensure that the surrounding ecosystem is able to thrive and reach its full potential.
How do Community Cleanups work?
Keep Austin Beautiful hosts a variety of volunteer events throughout the year, but also provides resources for groups and individuals to organize their own cleanups! With our Community Cleanups, you can conduct a litter cleanup whenever, wherever, and with however many volunteers as you’d like.
Can we recruit additional volunteers for our workday?
Once we’ve received all of your event details, we can add your event to our volunteer calendar to promote your workday.
What events do you have coming up?
If your group is interested in joining a Keep Austin Beautiful-led event, or a community event, please check our interactive map, or subscribe to our weekly volunteer opportunity newsletter.
What should I wear to volunteer?
Volunteers should come prepared to work outside on uneven terrain. Please be sure to dress for the weather and wear comfortable clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty or wet. Closed-toed shoes are required, and long pants are recommended. We also do not provide water bottles, so please bring a full reusable water bottle to stay hydrated.
What if the weather is cold and/or rainy?
We host our events rain or shine, as long as the weather does not pose a direct threat to your safety. Should we have to cancel, a notice will be sent out 48 hours in advance.
Are pets allowed?
Please refer to the location of your choosing’s pet policy.
Can I track this as a community service opportunity?
Unfortunately, at this time we are unable to assist with community service hours from self-led cleanups, as you must be accompanied by a Keep Austin Beautiful Staff member in order to verify your participation.
Join one of our organized events
There’s always a way to volunteer with Keep Austin Beautiful
Adopt-A-Creek
Protect our waterways
Adopt a segment of Austin creeks for up to two years and four restoration projects, including litter cleanup, native grass and wildflower seeding, tree planting, and more.
Adopt-A-Street
keep austin litter-free
Show your pride, build and strengthen our community, and keep our streets safe and clean by adopting a segment of road or public space in Austin.
Keep Austin Beautiful Day
Annual city-wide service
Each April, Keep Austin Beautiful is joined by thousands of volunteers to remove litter, as well as restore green spaces and waterways across the city of Austin.