Please remember to check in with organizers of these events to ensure that they haven’t been impacted by weather.
Residents have plenty of opportunities to beautify their Milwaukee neighborhoods for Earth Day, which takes place this year on Wednesday, April 22.
Here are some events to join in picking up debris at community cleanups this month.
Amani Earth Day Cleanup: Saturday, April 18
Join Amani United and Dominican Center from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 18 for an annual street cleanup in the Amani neighborhood to celebrate Earth Day. Attendees will meet at 2470 W. Locust St. for route and safety information. The event will occur rain or shine. Registration is encouraged. More information here.
Tory Lowe Community Clean Up: Saturday, April 18
The Tory Lowe Community Clean Up will bring together residents, volunteers and organizations on Saturday, April 18 at three locations: from 8-9 a.m. at Evolve MKE, 6550 N. 76th St.; from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at The New Pitts Mortuary, 2031 W. Capitol Drive; and from 11 a.m. to noon at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, 3275 N. 3rd St. Volunteers can participate in any or all of the sites. The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, which is sponsoring the event, will have a hazardous waste drop-off site at the third location. Registration is recommended. More information here.
Sherman Phoenix Marketplace Community Cleanup: Saturday, April 18
From 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 18, neighbors will be maintaining and beautifying the neighborhood around Sherman Phoenix Marketplace, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave. Registration is encouraged. More information here.
Big Clean MKE
The Big Clean MKE, an annual citywide beautification effort, will return this year. Riverworks Development Corp., Near West Side Partners and other groups will be participating.
Earth Day Cleanup: Wednesday, April 22
Muskego Way Forward and VIA Community Development Corp., in collaboration with Big Clean MKE and Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful, are hosting a cleanup in the Muskego Way and Clarke Square neighborhoods from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22, starting from Nutrición & Bienestar, 1734 W. Greenfield Ave. Sign up to volunteer or donate here. More information here.
MKE Harambee Clean Up: Wednesday, April 22
The 9th annual MKE Harambee Clean Up with WestCare Wisconsin, Bader Philanthropies and Big Clean MKE will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22 at Pete’s Fruit Market, 2323 N. Martin Luther King Drive. You can register by texting CLEANUP to 414-250-8164, calling 414-662-4254, or via email at harambeecleanup@westcare.com. More information here.
Washington Park Big Clean Series: Multiple dates
Rooted & Rising Washington Park is collaborating with community partners, including Big Clean MKE, to host 10 clean-up events in the Washington Park neighborhood throughout the spring and summer. April events include cleanups at Pump Park, 1640 N. 31st St., 2:30-4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22 and at North 43rd and West Vliet streets from 5-7 p.m. on April 24. Registration is not required but encouraged. Email jessie.reese@rootedandrisingwp.org with questions. More information here.
Metcalfe Park Big Clean and Walking Audit: Saturday, April 25
Metcalfe Park Community Bridges and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel will participate in the Big Clean from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., starting at Metcalfe Park Rising, 3401 W. Center St. Participants can assess the neighborhood’s trees, sidewalks, illegal dumping and more as part of a walk audit, with training that starts at 9 a.m. More information here.
Milwaukee Riverkeeper Spring Cleanup: Saturday, April 25
Milwaukee Riverkeeper is bringing back its annual Spring cleanup at locations near waterways in Milwaukee and nearby suburbs from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 25. Locations include Jackson Park, Havenwoods State Forest, Lincoln Creek, Menomonee Valley Community Park and many more. Afterward, participate in Rock the Green Earth Day celebration from noon to 3 p.m. at the Harley-Davidson Museum’s Motorcycle Plaza and Founder’s Terrace, 400 W. Canal St. More information here.
McGovern Park Block Watch Community Clean-Up: Saturday, April 25
The Havenwoods Neighborhood Improvement District and McGovern Park Block Watch are hosting a cleanup from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at McGovern Park Senior Center, 4500 W. Custer Ave. To register, contact jetaun@havenwoods.org or 414-431-2271.
Urban Ecology Center Earth Week: April 20-April 25
The Urban Ecology Center will be celebrating Earth Week from April 20 to April 25 with community weeding and cleanup events, as well as other activities. The center branches at Riverside Park, Washington Park and Menomonee Valley also have recurring volunteer opportunities.
Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful Great Milwaukee Cleanup
Groups can register to receive free cleaning materials from Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful during the Great Milwaukee Cleanup, now through Oct. 31. Find scheduled cleanups on the Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful events calendar.
Meredith Melland is the neighborhoods reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
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