Over 500 volunteers gathered to cleanup Downtown Portland

In total, over 500 volunteers attended six cleanup locations throughout downtown, collecting 3,290 pounds of litter and covering 181 city blocks.

The cleanup locations were hosted by the Portland Lodging Alliance’s Downtown hotel partners, including The Benson Hotel, Canopy by Hilton, The Nines Hotel, Hilton Downtown Portland, Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront, and the Mark Spencer Hotel.



This event brought community members together to create positive change in Portland’s Downtown area and sent a clear signal that Portland is unified, resilient, and strong.

Businesses, community groups, and residents alike joined forces to beautify Portland’s city streets through the simple act of cleaning up. Elected officials, including Mayor Ted Wheeler, were among those who attended.



Volunteers checked in with SOLVE at one of the six cleanup locations while following public safety guidelines. Each volunteer was given cleanup supplies including heavy duty garbage bags, gloves, a safety vest, and a litter grabber before fanning out into the surrounding area.



Throughout the event, volunteers were eager to engage in a volunteer opportunity to do something good for the city they call home. Colored safety vests dotted the downtown corridor, with clusters of volunteers removing cigarette butts, take-out containers, masks, and other common litter from city sidewalks.

Collecting litter makes downtown more welcoming for visitors and prevents trash from entering the nearby Willamette River and other waterways. Anyone who is interested in joining SOLVE’s cleanup efforts should visit http://www.solveoregon.org.