Enter Before and After Photos of Your Cleanup for a Chance to Win $500

(May 9, 2025) Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, whose vision is a clean and beautiful Pennsylvania, encourages residents to join the 2025 Pick Up Pennsylvania initiative. Pick Up Pennsylvania engages tens of thousands of volunteers annually through litter cleanups, illegal dump cleanups, beautification projects, special collections, and educational events. Events registered through May 31 receive free trash bags, gloves, and safety vests provided by support from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and PennDOT, as supplies last.

The Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy is an active participant in Pick Up Pennsylvania. Every April, the Conservancy hosts a single-day watershed wide event focused on removing litter, tires and other debris from regional waterways. This event brings together volunteers who work collaboratively to clean-up streamside sites, parks and open spaces throughout the watershed. Since its creation in 2004, the Perkiomen Stream Clean-up has grown to become the largest single-day stream clean-up in the state of Pennsylvania with 1,770 volunteers participating in 2025.

“A huge thank you to Keep PA Beautiful for supporting the 2025 Perkiomen Stream Clean-up! Thanks to your generous donation, this year’s Cleanup was a great success, serving to engage the community in preserving and protecting our local environment. In total, with the help of 1,770 corporate and community volunteers, we removed 1,815 bags of trash, 231 tires and 3,420 lbs. of scrap metal from 182 different sites during the 2025 Stream Clean-up! Thanks again for your continued support,” said Jessie Kemper, Director of Conservation, Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy.

As an added incentive to get outside and clean up, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is sponsoring the 2025 Pennsylvania Resources Council, Gene Capaldi Lens on Litter photo contest, Before and After category. Participants are eligible for a monetary prize of $500. One adult and one student winner will be awarded. To qualify, submissions in this category must be from a Pick Up Pennsylvania registered and reported event. All Lens on Litter photo contest rules and requirements must be followed. Enter the Lens On Litter here: https://prc.org/what-we-do/lens-on-litter-contest/.

In 2024, more than 77,000 volunteers participated in Pick Up Pennsylvania. Over 3.2 million pounds of litter and trash were picked up, 4.5 million pounds of materials recycled, and more than 14,000 trees, flowers and other greens were planted.

“This year, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful celebrates 35 years of fostering cleaner, greener communities. It’s a milestone that highlights the power of collective action and the difference each of us can make. Imagine the impact of picking up litter, planting trees, painting park benches, and educating others about the importance of a clean environment. These small actions ripple out, creating a healthier, more beautiful world for everyone. Join us in honoring our 35th anniversary by participating in local clean-up efforts. Together, we can make a lasting difference. Let’s pick it up, PA!,” said Michelle Dunn, Pick Up Pennsylvania Program Coordinator.

To host an event, join an event near you, or to inquire about free supplies and trash disposal, visit keeppabeautiful.org or contact Michelle Dunn, Pick Up Pennsylvania Program Coordinator, at 724-836-4121 ext. 113 or mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

Current 2025 Pick Up Pennsylvania supporters include: The GIANT Company, Columbia Gas – NiSource Charitable Foundation, Marathon, Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association, Dow, and Essential. If you are interested in becoming a supporter contact Deb Woolley at dwoolley@keepppabeautiful.org.

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About Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s mission is empowering Pennsylvanians to keep our communities clean and beautiful. Since 1990, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful has worked with hundreds of thousands of volunteers across the state to pick up nearly 162 million pounds of trash from Pennsylvania’s roadways, waterways, greenways, vacant lots, forestlands and other community spaces. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s core programming focuses on litter and illegal dump prevention, cleanup, community greening, and proper waste handling and sustainable practices. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful works with many partnering organizations on the state and grassroots level to accomplish our goal of a clean and beautiful Pennsylvania. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is the state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Inc., the nation’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. To learn more, visit www.keeppabeautiful.org.

Download the press release.