VCC in Review 2022

VCC (Volunteers Cleaning Communities)

has had an incredible year of accomplishments to help our environment, get community members involved and contribute to the cleanliness of communities in the San Fernando Valley.

From January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022
VCC has collected 9,559 large bags of litter totaling approximately 152,000 lbs (76 tons)

This does include the poundage from illegal dump sites, abandoned homeless sites and miscellaneous furniture, wood, cardboard that we remove from the streets at least once a week which we estimated would at least double this poundage! It also does not include the amazing amount of trash that is removed from the streets by our 200+ Adopt-1-Street program members who clean their streets individually and regularly.

The volunteers of VCC have accomplished the following events in the year 2022:

• 324 Group Clean Ups (5-6 a week)
• 2 All-Street Clean ups with 200+ volunteers – Ventura Blvd and Devonshire Street
• Awarded Nonprofit of the Year for California for 2022
• Awarded Citizen of the Year for Chatsworth
• Spotlighted as Community Heroes by Councilman John Lee, the Patch and Congressman Hertzberg
• 12 months of Adopt-A-Highway clean ups between our area of Balboa and Tampa on the 118 Freeway
• Conducted monthly educational and activity clean ups for Notre Dame High School Immersion Program
• Led 161 students in beautification and clean ups for Sierra Canyon Middle School
• Sponsored multiple “Litter Scavenger Hunt” days with Cinnabon for various communities (designed for families to learn how to pick up litter together in a fun activity)
• Organized multiple clean up Teambuilding activities for San Fernando Valley companies
• Appeared on ABC News, Spectrum News, Univision and the Daily News
• Sponsored Interactive Family Games for Kiwanis Oktoberfest
• Participated in 3 street fairs – Sherman Oaks, Kiwanis Chatsworth Blockfest and Granada Hills
• Multiple “Shout Out” events where we hold “Please do not Litter our Streets” at high traffic hours in the morning to send out the message
• Added 200+ individuals to our Adopt-1-Street program (www.adopt1street.org)
• Provided volunteers / coordination assistance for Kid Ocean Day event
• Organized Beautification of community streets – cleaning leaves from sidewalks and gutters – for Neighborhood Councils and Kiwanis
• Organized event for Service Days for Notre Dame High, Granada Hills Charter High, Rocky Peak Church, Shepherd Church, Chaminade, Chatsworth High and Sierra Canyon
• Participated in 2 Holiday Parades – Granada Hills and Chatsworth
• Selected for a Board Member – Keep LA Beautiful

Our mission at VCC is to “change the mindset of littering in Americans” (starting with the San Fernando Valley) through education, demonstration, activities and community involvement events.

Mark Hovater, our video producer, has made a very informative video highlighting our accomplishments which we hope you watch, “SHARE” and “LIKE” so that we can amass as many community volunteers that want to make a difference, have a cleaner community, get some great exercise and meet some amazing giving people.

There also is a video that show pictures of our group clean ups:

We look forward to doing even more in 2023 to involve the community members in clean ups and dedication to their communities.

Come join us! Anytime – Anywhere – Even just once a year!

Our schedule is posted on the website:

www.volunteerscleaningcommunit...

You just have to let us know when you would like to join an event – we have all the equipment necessary to be part of the team (grabber, gloves, vest and bags). We make it easy to make a difference in your community – just show up!

VIDEO: