2022-2023 PSU joins SOLVE's 4th Saturday NW Portland Clean-Up (Serve Your City: Shorts)

Looking to meet others, get outside, and support our city? Join the Student Community Engagement Center as we participate in one of SOLVE's monthly litter clean-up events! This March, we will be headed to NW Portland via streetcar (or meeting there directly) and picking up trash to beautify our city, keep our waterways clean, and protect local wildlife from the harmful effects of trash. Enjoy the sights of downtown Portland and know that the work you are engaging in has many benefits for our community, our local businesses, and our environment!

This clean-up will focus on the area between NW Couch and Lovejoy, and NW 16th Ave to NW 21st. This event will be entirely outdoors and will comply with social distancing guidelines. After a safety talk and getting cleanup supplies, you will spend about an hour+ picking up litter in the neighborhood to improve our community and protect our ecosystem.

PSU students, staff, and faculty welcome and no experience is necessary. This project is open to kids as well (with signed youth waiver). All volunteers must register via GivePulse to reserve your slot!

Come clean up NW Portland!

Goal: South Waterfront Community Relations will host the neighborhood clean up in the South Waterfront. Volunteers will be given debris bags, vests, gloves and trash grabbers to explore and pick up litter along the sidewalks, the Greenway and the community Park. The goal is to pick up trash and make the neighborhood a little cleaner! We love our volunteers!

Date: Saturday, March 25th |  Time: 9:15AM-11:00AM

What to Expect: 

• Volunteers can choose to meet the PSU volunteer lead on campus (outside Smith's Broadway entrance) at 8:45AM and take the streetcar together to the project start location (bring your PSU student ID!) or you have the option to meet us there directly at 9:15am if it's more convenient for you. The meet-up location if meeting directly is: Northwest Portland International Hostel (479 NW 18th Ave)
• We will get checked in with the SOLVE team and then head out in pairs or small groups to collect litter in the surrounding blocks.
• There will be a bathroom onsite for volunteers at the Hostel.
• Accessibility: The check-in will take place in a location that is wheelchair accessible. The majority of the cleanup will take place in areas that are on public sidewalks, which are wheelchair accessible.
• We'll wrap up the clean-up by 11 and those who want can take the streetcar back to the PSU campus together.

What's Provided? SOLVE provides trash grabbers, trash bags, work gloves, and high vis-vests for all participants. The Hostel Cafe provides coffee and baked goods before and after the event.

What to Bring: 

• Please come wearing comfortable walking clothes and closed-toed shoes. Be prepared to work rain or shine, and dress for the weather.
• If you bring personal belongings please bring a backpack so you can pick up trash hands-free.
• We also recommend that you bring your own water bottle to the event to stay hydrated. 
• If you would like to bring someone under 18 to join you, please sign them up and make sure to bring a signed SOLVE Youth Waiver with you.

About SOLVE: SOLVE was founded in 1969 with a mission to bring Oregonians together to improve our environment and build a legacy of stewardship. SOLVE restores and preserves Oregon's environment by mobilizing the power of volunteers and partners with the generosity of donors. Across the state, they bring diverse communities together to improve the health and safety of our neighborhoods and natural areas including our coast, rivers, parks and forests.

This project is open to all Portland State University students and PSU friends/family through the Student Community Engagement Center's #serveyourcityserveyourcampus program. #kidsinvited to this event!