Neighbor-funded block cleaning, founded in Philly
Any Philadelphia block can get started with one neighbor’s pledge. You don’t need the whole block on board first.
Enter your address to find your block or be the first to pledge.
HOW TO GET YOUR BLOCK CLEANED
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1. FIND YOUR BLOCK OR BE THE FIRST TO PLEDGE
Any Philadelphia block can get started, even if it isn’t on the map. Enter your address above and select your block to make a pledge. If it isn’t listed, choose “Can’t find your block?” and make the first pledge. You don’t need neighbors on board first. That first pledge starts your block’s page. The map shows existing pages and their funding status, not the limits of where we serve.
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2. MAKE A MONTHLY PLEDGE
Choose a monthly amount that fits your budget. $25 is the most popular choice. We pool neighbors’ pledges: at $50 total per month, your block gets one cleaning per month; each additional $50 funds another, up to weekly cleanings at $200. Until your block has at least $50 in total monthly pledges, cleanings don’t start and no one is charged. If pledges exceed what the schedule needs, your charge goes down. In the pledge form, you can choose to donate some or all of those savings to the Neighborhood Fund to help pay for extra cleanings on nearby blocks.
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3. SHARE YOUR BLOCK’S PAGE
After you pledge, we’ll email you a link to your block’s page. It’s your home base for checking total pledges, the cleaning schedule, and before-and-after photos, and for finding ways to spread the word. Log in with the email you used to pledge to return anytime. Share your page to invite neighbors to join and help fund more frequent cleanings. Ask us for door hangers, decals, or a custom QR yard sign.
Find an Existing Block
If your block is already signed-up for Glitter, you can find it on our map and make a pledge today.
Frequently Asked Questions
New to Glitter? Start here to see how one neighbor can get a block page going, how pledges fund cleanings, and what happens next.
Getting started
Yes. Anyone can take the first step for any Philadelphia block. You don’t need to get your neighbors on board first. Enter your address in the search field above. If your block isn’t listed, choose “Can’t find your block?” and make the first pledge. The map shows existing block pages and their funding status, not the only places we serve.
Your first pledge gets your block’s page started. We’ll email you a link to the page and a link to set up payment. The page shows how much has been pledged, how often the block is scheduled for cleaning, and photos from past cleanings. You can share it with neighbors and request outreach materials to help spread the word.
Check your block’s funding progress, cleaning schedule, and photos from past cleanings. Share the page with neighbors so they can pledge, too. You can also log in with the email you used to pledge and request outreach materials.
Glitter works with individual neighbors and block captains, as well as community groups and public and private partners. Explore how we work with Neighbors, TCB Partnerships, Block Captains, HOAs, Civics & BIDs, Schools, Government, Parks, and Real Estate partners.
Pledges & payments
Choose a monthly amount that fits your budget. The pledge form offers suggested amounts, but you can choose what works for you. Your pledge sets the most you’ll contribute toward your block’s cleaning.
Pledges from neighbors are pooled. For a standard block, each $50 in total monthly pledges funds one cleaning per month. As the total grows, the block can receive more cleanings, up to weekly service at $200 per month.
You won’t be charged until your block has enough pledges for cleaning to begin. Payments recur every four weeks. Your pledge is the maximum you may contribute toward your block’s cleaning, and your actual charge can be lower as other neighbors join.
Your actual charged ‘share’ can drop below your pledge. In the pledge form, you can choose to send some or all of that difference to the Neighborhood Fund, which supports cleaning on nearby underfunded blocks. You can change this choice later in your profile in the Glitter Member Hub.
Yes. Pledges are month to month, and you can change or cancel at any time. You can do this by logging into the Member Hub and going to Billing. If the remaining pledges on your block still cover at least one cleaning per month, cleaning can continue. However your block may have fewer cleanings depending on how much your block has raised.
Cleanings & scheduling
Cleaners remove litter and trash from sidewalks, streets, curb lines, and storm drains. We report bulky items such as tires, appliances, and construction debris to the City. Cleaners handle items they can remove safely, including discarded needles and bagged pet waste. They do not handle unbagged feces, dead animals, or other hazardous materials.
A block is one city street between two major intersections, including both sides of the street. The average Philadelphia block is about 450 feet long and has around 60 households. If your block is larger or smaller, we can work with you to determine an equivalent cleanup area and cost.
Cleaning starts when the block has enough funding and a Glitter cleaner is available. Most blocks start within one to two weeks of reaching their funding level. The frequency depends on the total monthly pledges, from one cleaning per month at $50 up to weekly cleaning at $200.
By default, cleanings are scheduled for the day before trash pickup, and bagged litter is placed curbside for City collection the next day. A block can arrange cleaning after trash day if a neighbor can hold the bags until the next pickup. Schedules adjust for City-observed holidays.
If a scheduled cleaning is missed, we apply a credit to offset your next payment. You don’t pay for a cleaning you didn’t receive.
We hire and train local cleaners, prioritizing people who face barriers to work. We try to assign the same cleaner to your block regularly so they and your neighbors can get to know one another. Another team member may fill in when needed.
If you are interested in applying to be a Glitter Cleaner visit www.shareglitter.com/apply
Services & contact
Glitter offers recurring litter cleaning, shared compost bins, block trash cans, leaf cleanup, and weed removal. Snow cleanup is still in the interest-gathering stage. Visit our Services page to learn more and tell us what your block needs. Sharing interest in a new service does not commit you to pay.
Email us at hello@shareglitter.com or call 215-995-0210. We’d love to hear what’s working, what isn’t, and what else your block needs.
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