Keep America Beautiful and Lowe’s awarded Keep Blair Beautiful, Keep Northeastern PA Beautiful, Allegheny CleanWays and Keep Lancaster County Beautiful a total of $55,000 for high impact community improvement projects.

The grants are part of the Keep America Beautiful/Lowe’s Community Partners Grant Program that engages local volunteers to take action to benefit communities across the country with projects ranging from restoring neighborhood parks and planting community and school gardens, to leading disaster restoration initiatives and large-scale cleanups. There were 42 recipients in 21 states. 

Keep Blair Beautiful received $20,000 for a downtown revitalization project that will provide improved access to trash and recycling bins to reduce litter and improvements to urban plantings and stormwater management and landscaping around City Hall that will help demonstrate the importance of urban plantings and pollinator gardens.

“We are pleased that IRC staff is able to facilitate the local Keep Blair Beautiful affiliate and invest in efforts to improve our communities.  Our staff and volunteers work together to help create clean, green and beautiful places for our residents,” said Marla Marcinko, City Manager.

Keep Northeastern PA Beautiful received $20,000 for the removal of over 120 cubic yards of illegally dumped trash, furniture, televisions and approximately 1,500 auto and truck tires from a city owned flood zone in preparation for recreational and cultural uses including a river access and community gardens. 

Keep Pittsburgh Beautiful/Allegheny CleanWays received $10,000 for the cleanup and beautification of historic Stoner Way in Wilkinsburg as a way of reducing crime, increasing pride in the community and spurring economic development.

Keep Lancaster County Beautiful received $5,000 for habitat restoration and trash pick-up that includes a teaching component.

“We are so appreciative for grant programs like these, as it enables Keep Lancaster County Beautiful to help our community with important and impactful projects.  This grant will afford the opportunity for bright and eager young minds to understand the importance of environmental stewardship and apply these principles through experiential learning,” said Kathryn Sandoe, Deputy Chief of Community Relations for the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, which underwrites the Keep Lancaster County Beautiful affiliate.

“Our partnership with Lowe’s is a model for how individuals, businesses, nonprofits and government can work together to create lasting change and cultivate beautiful communities that are environmentally healthy, economically sound and socially connected,” says Becky Lyons, Chief Operating Officer, Keep America Beautiful Keep America Beautiful. “The support of partners like Lowe’s empowers our network of affiliates to rally more than five million volunteers nationwide each year to help turn public spaces into beautiful places. We look forward to seeing the tangible positive impact that will result from our work together.”

“We are grateful for Keep America Beautiful and Lowe’s for providing Pennsylvania affiliates this opportunity to improve our local communities,” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. “These grants provide an opportunity for the community to engage in activities that improve the quality of life for everyone.”

Since 2011, Lowe’s has supported Keep America Beautiful and its network of more than 620 state and community-based affiliates with more than $5.4 million in contributions and the support of Lowe’s Heroes employee volunteers.

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, Discover them on Pinterest and visit their YouTube Channel. 

Also visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website for more ideas on how to clean up communities and keep them clean and KPB’s new Electronics Waste website.

11/14/2016