Litter Cleanups

Help beautify San José's public spaces! Start by volunteering with the BeautifySJ Neighborhood Litter Program to pick up litter in your neighborhood. Volunteers ages 15+ can clean up their own neighborhoods, or will receive assistance with a location.

All volunteers are provided with FREE Litter Kits. Litter Kits include litter sticks, gloves, volunteer vests, garbage bags, and litter stickers.

4 Easy Steps to Volunteer with BeautifySJ

STEP 1: Click link below to sign up to volunteer. You will be directed to the Better Impact page. This is where you will register and receive notifications for future litter cleanup events.

Sign Up to Volunteer or Report Volunteer Hours

STEP 2: After you register, you will receive an email confirmation from BeautifySJ within 48 hours.

STEP 3: Once you receive the email confirmation, you can set up a time to pick up litter supplies at the BeautifySJ Office (Kirk Center) at 1601 Foxworthy Ave. San José, CA 95118

STEP 4: Fill out the Volunteer Service Agreement Form by clicking the link below. Once completed, print, sign, and bring the form with you to the litter cleanup event.

Volunteer Service Agreement Form

For more information, contact Luz Juarez at 408-975-7233 or Luz.Juarez@sanjoseca.gov

Other volunteer opportunities:

• Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful
• South Bay Clean Creeks
• The Trash Punx
• Valley Water

Litter Education

The BeautifySJ Litter Education Team visits elementary, middle, and high schools to raise awareness about the negative impact litter has on our environment and encourage youth to practice recycling, reusing, and keeping public spaces clean.

The Litter Education Team provides presentations that include discussions about litter and its effects on our communities, and a review of resources and services available. Each presentation is followed by a school-based litter pickup activity. 

Presentations are tailored for different age groups and are a great opportunity for engagement in classroom projects, environmental clubs and afterschool programs.

To schedule a litter presentation and school-based litter pick-up, call 408-975-7233 or email beautifysj@sanjoseca.gov

Dumpster Days

Help keep large items off our city public spaces, like streets and sidewalks. Participate in a dumpster day event in your neighborhood and properly dispose of your unwanted items for free.

The BeautifySJ Neighborhood Beautification Program encourages residents to participate in dumpster days, weekday collection events, e-waste drives, and other efforts to beautify their neighborhoods and create a cleaner and more vibrant San José.

Dumpster day events are limited only to local residents in the neighborhood hosting the event.

For more information about dumpster day events or to host a dumpster day in your neighborhood, contact Manuel Garcia at 408-975-7233 or Manuel.Garcia@sanjoseca.gov

Neighborhood Engagement

The Neighborhood Engagement Model was developed to support neighborhood associations in directly connecting to City of San José services and collaborating in creating solutions that improve neighborhood quality of life in San José communities.

The Neighborhood Engagement Model focuses on engaging with neighborhood leaders to address key issues in their neighborhoods by:

• Providing resources and information to navigate City services
  Connecting neighborhood associations to build community
• Facilitating processes for neighborhood associations to make recommendations to local leadership
• Supporting neighborhoods in creating self-sufficient associations

Project Hope is a Neighborhood Engagement program that aims to improve the quality of life in the City of San José by promoting creation of neighborhood associations in underserved areas stressed by crime, blight, and violence.

Project Hope’s objectives are:

• Creating sustainable, organized group of community leaders
• Promoting a safer and cleaner environment
• Developing informed residents who can access City services
• Creating community partnerships that support ongoing efforts

To achieve these objectives, Project Hope uses a five-phase approach in each neighborhood:

1. Planning how to approach the new area.
2. Community Mobilization to create interest in forming a neighborhood association.
3. Community Capacity Building to help identify and train neighborhood association leaders and teach residents how an associate works.
4. Project Implementation to create the new association, hold meetings and other events, and bring neighborhood concerns to the City.
5. Sustainability for the association to continue operating through succeeding generations of leadership, with limited assistance from Project Hope staff.

Project Hope operates in nine San José neighborhoods:

• Cadillac Winchester
• Foxdale
• Guadalupe Washington
• Hoffman Via Monte
• McKinley Bonita
• Mclaughlin Area Tenants (MAT)
• Poco Way
• Roundtable
• Welch Park