Members of the community advocacy group Clean and Beautiful Cleveland Block 2 Block have one thing on their collective mind: Litter prevention and making the Mt. Pleasant streets more colorful and beautiful.

In June 2023 Clean & Beautiful Cleveland Block2Block held its first beautification day, in addition to hosting two cleanup events. The efforts were so successful that the group will hold its second annual Beautification Clean Up Day this Saturday, June 8 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“We are hoping to continue to uplift people’s spirits by providing beauty for them to look at and discouraging people from tossing trash on the ground, which disturbs our children and takes away from the beauty in the neighborhood,” says Block2Block founder Nancy Jones

Beautification in Mt. Pleasant NeighborhoodWith a mission to organize and educate people on litter prevention, reduction, and beautification, organizers are encouraging people­—both Mt. Pleasant residents and anyone with the motivation to make Cleveland a more beautiful place to live—to meet at New Sardis Primitive Baptist Church on East 147th Street to join some good company and the effort.

The group will then head out to Kinsman Road from East 131st Street to E 154th Street where there are about 180 tree lawn beds that volunteers weeded, planted perennials and installed landscape fabric, and mulched.

“We are going to return Saturday to maintain these beds,” explains Jones. “We have to again remove weeds, replace dead or missing flowers, apply landscape fabric and touch up the mulch. We hope to keep these beds weed free, with lots of flowers and free of litter!”

Jones adds that they will also clean up litter and ask people to sign pledges not to litter. She says they are still looking for volunteers to sign up for the effort.

“When the community sees [the cleanup efforts] and the beds being cared for and maintained, it sends a message that they are cared for and that someone cares about the quality of their lives,” says.

Clean & Beautiful Cleveland Block2Block has gathered the support from numerous sponsors and advocates, as well as Cleveland City Council members, neighborhood churches, community groups, and local business.

The Beautify Mt. Pleasant event takes place this Saturday, June 8 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free and open to all volunteers. The group will meet at New Sardis Primitive Baptist Church, 3474 E. 147th Street in Cleveland’s Mt. Pleasant neighborhood.