Local Hero: Jill Mather Makes Life Better In Chatsworth

CHATSWORTH, CA — When times are tough, heroes emerge. We all know someone who's making a difference right now as we live through unprecedented and changing times.

Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize these heroes making a difference in their communities. We’re working to let all your neighbors know about these outstanding people and their stories.

This submission comes from Barbara Malin who nominated Jill Mather of Northridge-Chatsworth.

Local hero’s full name

Jill Mather

Local hero’s home state

California

Local hero’s Patch

Northridge-Chatsworth

How do you know the local hero?

I belong to VCC, the organization Jill Mather founded.

What does the local hero do?

Jill Mather is the founder of Volunteers Cleaning Communities. Jill began her crusade when she retired and took daily walks around her neighborhood. Along her route she came across littered streets and sidewalks and began carrying a plastic bag and collected trash. Jill is passionate in wanting our communities litter free, she strongly believes that through education and community engagement she will achieve her goal in changing the mindset of society.

Soon after Jill adopted a 3 1/2 mile section of the Ronald Reagan (118) freeway from Tampa Avenue to Balboa Blvd. In cooperation with CalTrans Jill and a VCC team clean this part of the freeway. As an adopter you are obligated to clean for a 5 year period, although Jill says it will be a lifetime endeavor for her.

Jill organizes cleanups throughout the San Fernando Valley always seeking community members young and old to get involved. In 2020 she named the group "Volunteers Cleaning Communities" aka VCC and filed for non-profit 501(c)3 tax exempt status to cover the cost of equipment, vests, bags and dump site fees, much of which still comes from Jill's own pocket.

Jill's next idea was to create an opportunity for individuals to pick up trash in their neighborhood. Adopt-1-Street was born! Jill provides a safety vest, grabber and trash bags. It's up to the person how often they go out into their neighborhood. Currently there are over 250 Adopt-1-Street volunteers working from Sylmar to Chatsworth, Sherman Oaks to Thousand Oaks. VCC has added a section of the L.A. River and Bike Path and the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Refuge area to their monthly clean-up schedule.

Jill has been going into classrooms bringing awareness to high school students who earn community service credit when volunteering at VCC cleanup events. Jill has reached out to community leaders and has their support. VCC wellcomes other like-minded groups - Northridge Beautification Foundation, Shepherd Church, Kiwanis, Rotary, the BNP Buy Nothing Project, neighborhood councils, chambers of commerce, alumni groups, all working together to make a difference in their neighborhood. Jill is a visionary, a unique community leader and more than a mentor to those who support her 100%. VCC is expanding beyond the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles today - tomorrow the nation!

Why do you believe the local hero should be recognized or honored?

Jill Mather is an inspiration and was honored as Citizen of the Year in the San Fernando Valley and Volunteers Cleaning Communities was named California's Non-Profit of the Year 2022.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about the local hero?

More than a mentor Jill has become a friend.

Thank you for all you do, Jill Mather!

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Know someone making a difference in town? Nominate them as a local hero here.