Nonprofit Organizes Business, Community Partners for Long Wharf Cleanup

NEW HAVEN, CT – A newly formed nonprofit backed by decades of community cleanup experience held its inaugural event on Saturday at Long Wharf attracting dozens of volunteers, partners and community leaders.

“It was wonderful to see so many people and organizations come together to clean up such a vital area for the New Haven community,” said Linda Knauff, the Executive Director of Connecticut Clean Communities. “It’s a model that we plan to continue improving upon and replicate throughout Connecticut.”

While Connecticut Clean Communities was founded earlier this year, it began more than five years ago as Knauff and other volunteers began talking about their experiences with local cleanup efforts and ways they could be improved.

“People involved in local cleanup efforts throughout Connecticut are passionate about what they do,” Knauff said. “But we thought, there has to be better way to do this. We all have the same goals, but by creating an organization to support to local efforts, while studying best practices, we can have an even greater impact.”

The organization helps local cleanup efforts with volunteer recruitment and retention, partnership building, obtaining sponsorships, advertising, logistical support and more.

The cleanup on Saturday attracted nearly 20 volunteers and several partnerships including Garbo Grabber, a Trumbull-based business that provided equipment for the event, and the local Department of Parks and Trees. An estimated 90 pounds/bags of garbage was cleaned up by the volunteers.

“We’re so happy the City of New Haven’s Department of Parks and Trees were so welcoming when we approached them with the idea,” Knauff said. “We appreciate their support.”

For more information, check out the organization at https://connecticutcleancommunities.godaddysites.com/