Nearly 80 children  stepped up to show that #cleanstreetsmatter to them by picking up litter and debris earlier this week. Students in the Next Level Community Development Center (NLCDC) DBA Camp partnered with Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful (KMBB) to hold a community cleanup in Napier Heights.  

This was the camp’s service project for the year. Campers, ages 5 through 19, picked up litter, debris, and trash along the streets with help from volunteers and community leaders. You can view more pictures from the cleanup here.

“It’s imperative to us our students understand the importance of giving back and making meaningful change,” said NLCDC Administrative Assistant Eileen Straws. “We also want students to grasp what goes into keeping Macon-Bibb clean and beautiful, as well as what it looks like when we litter and do not take care of our neighborhoods.” 

The Parks and Beautification Department and Sheriff’s Office assisted in the cleanup, while the Solid Waste Department provided a dumpster for what was collected. Glory Days Grill and Macon Coca-Cola donated water and Powerade for volunteers, and the Pedestrian Safety Review Board donated t-shirts and reflective wristbands for the students.

“It truly takes a team to make a difference in our community,” said KMBB Executive Director Asha Ellen. “I am always so proud to see our children step up to clean our community. This is something they will remember for a long time and hopefully shape the way they think when it comes to littering.” 

Next Level is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering at-risk youth and families to exercise sound judgment regarding their education, health, social and emotional well-being through youth services (afterschool and summer programming) and mental health programs.