Spring cleanup brings Milwaukee community together

MILWAUKEE - The snow has melted and the trash is evident, so a large group dedicated hours and took their spring cleaning to the Milwaukee streets Saturday, April 17.

People came together to hear words of unity and pride, but it's the group's actions that really made a difference.

Trishya Brown brought her daughters to Washington Park for Saturday's clean-up effort.

"I want my kids to be involved in the community. I want them to be part of giving back and cleaning up and spend time on their Saturday morning helping others," Brown said.

Folks scoured the neighborhood picking up trash as part of the Near West Side Partners (NWSP) joint community cleanup with the United Methodist Children Services.
 
"Bringing everyone together to say look let’s do some good," Keith Stanley, NWSP executive director, said.

Stanley said the efforts are about more than just beautification; the labor can have an economic impact. 

"That allows us to recruit investments in the neighborhood, open new businesses, bringing employment to community, so that is exciting for us," said.

NWSP believes cleanliness also encourages self-worth.

"If you see a clean area, people are less likely to do things in a clean area," said Bobby McQuay Jr. with NWSP. "We also know that the way people feel about their neighborhood when it’s clean, they feel better, so that is the correlation between safety and cleanliness."

It's a responsibility that needs to be picked up by all -- if you see something, say something. Stanley said it's important to report large piles of trash, graffiti, or potholes so it can be taken care of. The MKE Mobile Action app is a great place to do that.

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