Our Impact
Block by Block Community is a Philadelphia-based environmental nonprofit working to reduce litter, illegal dumping, and neighborhood pollution through community-led action. Since 2020, we have mobilized residents, students, volunteers, and partners to clean and maintain public spaces, educate communities, monitor recurring dumping, and build long-term waste reduction solutions.
250+
Community Cleanups
Organized to remove litter, address illegal dumping, and improve public spaces.
350+
Tons of Waste Removed
Removed from neighborhood streets, vacant lots, and shared community spaces.
2,000+
Residents & Students Reached
Through environmental education and outreach programs.
50+
Community Partnerships
Collaborating with non-profits, businesses, community groups, and local organizations to expand our reach.
Our Mission
Our mission is to create cleaner, healthier communities by empowering residents to take action against litter, illegal dumping, and environmental pollution. Through community-led cleanups, environmental education, neighborhood partnerships, and sustainable waste solutions, Block by Block Community works to reduce waste, restore public spaces, and inspire lasting environmental change. We believe meaningful change starts at the block level, and every community deserves a clean, safe, and healthy place to call home.
Where We Work
Block by Block Community operates locally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with a focus on neighborhood-based environmental action, public space restoration, resident education, and long-term litter and dumping prevention.
Community Action
We organize neighborhood cleanups and mobilize volunteers to remove litter, address illegal dumping, and improve public spaces.
Environmental Education
We educate residents and students through workshops, outreach, and practical waste reduction guidance.
Monitoring & Prevention
We document dumping hotspots, track recurring issues, and work with residents and block captains to identify long-term solutions.
Partnerships & Coordination
We collaborate with neighborhood groups, institutional funders, the City of Philadelphia, and local Clean & Green teams to support implementation and waste removal.
How We Create Impact
2026 National Clean-off
4,329 Bags Collected | 16 Tons Removed | 2,499 Volunteers Participated
Reported collected waste across Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Environmental Education
Workshops and educational outreach supporting responsible waste disposal.
Monitoring & Prevention
We document dumping hotspots, track recurring issues, and work with residents and block captains to identify long-term solutions.
2025-2026 Impact
Our Programs
Community-Led Litter & Illegal Dumping Cleanups
Block by Block Community organizes community-led cleanups and neighborhood beautification initiatives that directly address litter, illegal dumping, overgrown vegetation, and solid waste pollution in Philadelphia neighborhoods. Through volunteer mobilization, neighborhood partnerships, and coordinated waste removal, we clean and maintain streets, sidewalks, vacant lots, parks, and shared public spaces.
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Our activities include litter collection, illegal dumping removal, leaf blowing, weed trimming, overgrowth management, and general neighborhood maintenance. We coordinate with the City of Philadelphia and local Clean & Green teams to facilitate the collection and removal of accumulated waste, helping ensure that materials collected during cleanups are properly removed from neighborhood spaces.
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Since our founding in 2020, Block by Block has organized more than 250 cleanups and removed over 350 tons of waste. We track cleanup locations, volunteer participation, bags collected, and estimated waste tonnage to measure our direct environmental impact.
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By combining immediate waste removal with ongoing neighborhood maintenance and community involvement, we work to reduce visible pollution, improve the condition of shared public spaces, and support cleaner, healthier urban environments.
Environmental Education & Community Outreach
Block by Block Community delivers environmental education and outreach programs that equip residents and students with practical knowledge to prevent litter, reduce illegal dumping, and improve neighborhood waste management.
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Through initiatives such as our Know What to Throw workshops, resident and student educational programs, and community awareness activities, we provide guidance on responsible waste disposal, recycling, pollution prevention, and sustainable waste practices.
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Our educational initiatives have reached an estimated 2,000 people, helping community members understand how their everyday actions contribute to healthier local environments. The program’s direct outcomes include participation in environmental education, access to practical waste management resources, and increased community awareness of pollution prevention practices.
Illegal Dumping Prevention & Neighborhood Monitoring
Block by Block Community engages students, residents, and neighborhood leaders in monitoring environmental conditions and documenting recurring litter and illegal dumping in Philadelphia neighborhoods.
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Through our Neighborhood Litter & Dumping Index, participants identify waste accumulation hotspots, conduct site observations, collect photographic evidence, monitor 311 service requests, and collaborate with block captains to document recurring environmental concerns.
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This work helps generate neighborhood-level environmental data that can inform targeted cleanups, support local problem-solving, and identify changes in litter and dumping conditions over time. Direct outcomes include resident participation in environmental monitoring, documented dumping hotspots, and actionable information that supports long-term pollution prevention.
Community Composting & Food Waste Diversion
Block by Block Community is developing a neighborhood-based food waste diversion initiative designed to reduce organic waste entering conventional disposal systems and expand access to community composting opportunities.
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In collaboration with partners including Sanctuary Farm, Bennett Compost, and Glitter, the proposed program will establish accessible food-scrap collection and composting pathways for participating households.
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This initiative is currently in development. Once funded and operational, it will aim to divert food waste from disposal, recover organic materials for beneficial reuse, and strengthen sustainable neighborhood waste management practices. Planned environmental outcomes will be tracked through the amount of food scraps collected and composted, household participation, and diversion activities.
Partners & Community Engagement
Block by Block Community has received institutional support from the William Penn Foundation, helping advance our efforts to address litter, illegal dumping, environmental education, and long-term neighborhood waste management in Philadelphia.
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Our work is strengthened through collaboration with the City of Philadelphia, local Clean & Green and Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP) teams, community organizations, residents, and volunteers.
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These relationships help us coordinate environmental activities, expand neighborhood participation, and develop more sustainable approaches to pollution prevention.
How We Measure Success
We monitor our environmental programs through cleanup logs, volunteer records, bags of waste collected, estimated tonnage, workshop participation, photographic documentation, and neighborhood litter monitoring data.
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Our reported cumulative impact reflects activities since our founding in 2020. Waste removal totals are based on our internal collection records and estimation methods, where applicable.
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Reporting period: 2025–2026, with cumulative impact figures since 2020.
