City of Rochester News Release
(Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018) – The City of Rochester is the
first city in Western New York to join the affiliate network of Keep America
Beautiful, the nation’s iconic nonprofit community improvement organization,
Mayor Lovely A. Warren and Keep America Beautiful President and CEO Helen
Lowman announced today.
“The city of Rochester is fortunate to have dozens of
parks and green spaces, and natural resources that other cities can only dream
of,” Mayor Warren said. “These resources are crucial to the quality of life
here in our city and central to our efforts of creating more jobs, safer and
more vibrant neighborhoods and better educational opportunities. The Keep
America Beautiful designation will give us a vast network of expertise and
knowledge that will help us keep Rochester clean and beautiful and leave our
public spaces in better shape for future generations.”
“As part of our Keep America Beautiful Network, Keep
Rochester Beautiful will act as a catalyst for positive community change, with
a goal of improving the quality of life for every resident of Rochester,” said
Lowman. “We know that Keep Rochester Beautiful will help transform your public
spaces into beautiful places as an important representative of our national
affiliate movement.”
Keep Rochester Beautiful joins more than 600 Keep America
Beautiful affiliates, including 27 state affiliates, and a number of
international affiliates.
The Keep America Beautiful Network mobilizes more than
3.5 million volunteers each year to take positive action on community
improvement concerns. As a result, litter is being reduced; solid waste is
being managed responsibly; citizens are improving vacant lots, highways and
other public spaces; trees and flowers are being planted; and recycling and
composting efforts are expanding.
As a Keep America Beautiful affiliate, the City has
access to a wealth of resources and knowledge, along with potential grant
funding. In April, the City received a grant through KAB and Coca-Cola to
expand recycling at public events and festivals.
Locally, a seven member board of directors will work with
the City to build off existing efforts like Clean Sweep and the Mixed Recycling
Program to reduce litter, promote recycling, preserve the city’s natural
resources and public spaces and develop new initiatives to create a culture of
environmental stewardship and sustainability.
Collectively, the Keep Rochester Beautiful Board of
Directors have a deep reach into the community, representing the non-profit,
private and academic sectors. Members are:
• Akweta
Kamau, resident of Frost Avenue
• Shirley
Boone, chief of staff, Northeast Area Development
• Veronica
Dasher, Manager for Regional Outreach and Development, RG&E
• Matt
Flanigan, Chief Executive Officer, Flower City Habitat for Humanity
• Andy
Boslett, URMC postdoctoral researcher in environmental health
• Arleen
Thaler, local photographer
• James
Napier, principal, Napier and Napier.
Morgan Barron, a former AmeriCorps member who now works
for the City’s Department of Environmental Services, will serve as executive
director.
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Media contacts:
City of Rochester: Press Officer Jessica Alaimo, (585)
428-7135
Keep America Beautiful: Director of Communications Larry
Kaufman, (203) 659-3014