The Litter Clean Team
The program was conceived by the City of Savannah after Union Mission brought two-term Albuquerque Mayor, Richard Berry, to be the keynote speaker at Raising Hope in 2019. Berry’s “There’s a Better Way” initiative hires the homeless and panhandlers to clean up the city and connects those individuals to needed services and treatment.
Savannah’s Litter Clean Team program aligns with the City of Savannah strategic plan goals to re-establish and preserve neighborhoods and provide workforce development for the unemployed and underemployed.
The Litter Clean Team is a partnership between Union Mission and the City of Savannah to help to hire, train and pay the homeless or those living with disabilities who are having trouble finding a job while simultaneously expanding the Greenscapes Department's hours and areas for litter pick up.
The Litter Clean Team provides afternoon litter pick-up five days a week from 1:00pm – 5:00pm along identified major corridors including historic squares, Bay Street, River Street, Broughton Street and Factors Walk. The program allows Union Mission to provide job training and employment for work-ready homeless individuals and persons living with disabilities experiencing challenges to obtaining employment.
“The Litter Clean Team is just one of the many programs offered by Union Mission to help clients integrate back into society. If the homeless can see the value of their work enhancing the community, it can be a stepping stone to the next success.”
— Michael T. McCarthy, Union Mission Past Board Chairman