Sign Up for a Clean Block
Episcopal Community Services and Glitter are partnering to bring affordable, weekly block cleaning to our West Philadelphia neighborhood.
ECS is funding a $5,000 cleanup campaign to support a cleaner and safer community. Initial cleaning is provided free of charge. Ongoing cleaning is available through neighbor contributions.
ECS has committed to match up to $50 in neighbor pledges on each block for the first 3 months, making it more affordable to get started.
Sponsored Area
The sponsored area includes W Thompson St to the North, N 57th St St to the East, Vine St to the South, and N 61st St to the West. Blocks outside of this area will be considered on a case-by-base basis.
Learn more
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Glitter is an affordable service that keeps litter and trash off your streets, sidewalks, and storm drains. Our pay-what-you-can model brings neighbors together to fund weekly cleaning.
We pay a living wage and are and prioritize hiring those in the community with barriers to work. We’re based in Philadelphia and committed to supporting cleaner and safer neighborhoods across the city.
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ECS has partnered with Glitter to bring affordable, weekly block cleaning to our neighborhood. They have sponsored initial cleaning of 5 blocks near their community center at N 60th and W Girard Ave in West Philadelphia.
ECS has pledged $5,000 in matching funds to nearby blocks to make Glitter more affordable to the community. Nearby blocks are eligible for an ECS matching contribution of up to $50 for 3 months. The eligible area includes:
W Thompson St to the North
N 57th St St to the East
Vine St to the South
N 61st St to the West -
Our main focus is removing litter and trash from the sidewalks, street, and storm drains. When time allows, we’ll sweep also up leaves and pull weeds.
We report bulk items like tires, appliances, and construction debris to the city for removal.
We’ll clean up anything that is safe to handle, including discarded needles and bagged pet waste. We cannot handle other hazardous materials, such as unbagged feces or dead animals.
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A block is one city street between two major intersections and includes both sides of the street. The average block in Philadelphia is 450 ft and has 60 households!
If your block is anything but “average,” we’ll work with you to determine an equivalent cleanup area. We can also group multiple blocks together into a group subscription.
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A weekly block cleaning subscription is $200 per month and can be split by any number of neighbors. Cleanups begin once per month when at least $50 is pledged.
ECS is matching up to $50 per block for 3 months. This will help blocks get funded more quickly and affordably. These matching funds will apply automatically.
When signing-up, each neighbor makes a pledge that works for their budget. We pool all pledges to fund block cleanings. Additional pledges lower the cost for everyone—beginning with the highest pledges first.
We collect payment once cleanups begin. Your initial payment may be prorated if joining during an existing billing cycle. Payments recur every four weeks.
We recalculate individual contributions with every new pledge and notify you by email. If neighbors join during an existing billing cycle, credits are applied to current neighbors to offset the cost.
Missed cleanups are rare and credits are automatically applied to offset your next payment. You never pay for a cleanup you don’t receive.
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Every block gets a fundraising page where neighbors make their pledge. We show the block’s current pledges, cleanup frequency, and photo from prior cleanups. Neighbors have the option to display their names or remain anonymous.
To help spread the word, outreach materials are available by request and shipped directly to you. Available materials include door hangers, letters, and yard/railing signs. They are customized for each block with QR codes.
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By default, cleanings are scheduled the day before trash day and bagged litter and trash is placed curbside for city collection the next day.
Cleaning can also be scheduled after trash day. We require at least one neighbor to volunteer to hold the collected bag(s) to put out for curbside collection the next week. Volunteers often hold bags in an outdoor trash can, alley, or backyard.
Cleanup schedules adjust automatically to align with city-observed holidays.
Cleanups begin once they are funded and as soon as a Glitter cleaner is available. Most cleanups start within 1-2 weeks of funding.
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There is no long-term commitment with Glitter. All contributions are month-to-month and you can cancel anytime by emailing hello@shareglitter.com.
As long as we have enough pledges from other neighbors to fund at least one cleanup per month, the subscription remains active.
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Please reach out to us anytime to share how things are going and how we can make Glitter even better for you and your neighbors.
We are a team of proud Philadelphians just like you who want to see our neighborhoods thrive. We’d love to know whenever we meet that goal and whenever we miss the mark so we can improve.
Contact us by email at hello@shareglitter.com or by phone at 215-995-0210.
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We celebrate a diverse team of cleaners who share our passion and commitment for cleaner, safer, and more optimistic neighborhoods. Cleaners include students funding their education, parents requiring flexible work, and individuals seeking a second chance following reentry.
We prioritize hiring from underemployed populations and are proud to offer paid training, free branded gear and supplies, a $20 per hour starting wage and company profit-sharing.
Whenever possible, we hire cleaners who live nearby and assign them the same blocks each week so that cleaners and neighbors get to know and rely on each other. Our goal is to care for blocks as if we lived there—and sometimes we do!