• FIND A CLEANUP
  Every weekend there are 6-10 cleanups happening all over South Florida. You can find a variety of events including kayak, scuba, neighborhood, park and beach cleanups on our Find A Cleanup page. All of the cleanups posted are organized by third party partners, non-profits, local businesses or individual volunteer leaders. If you have questions regarding a specific cleanup, please contact the cleanup organizer at the bottom of the event's page.
• GET NOTIFIED OF FUTURE CLEANUPS
  If you'd like to be kept in the loop, you can create an account and sign up for Weekly Email Alerts. The system will email you of all upcoming cleanups for the next 3 weeks within a 15 mile radius of the zip code you entered.
• ORGANIZE YOUR OWN GROUP CLEANUP
  If you would like to organize and lead your own cleanup, we have a Resources page that includes guides available for you to use. Contact us if you have any questions or requests so that we may help your cleanup be a success!
• DO YOUR OWN SOLO CLEANUP
  We offer community service for those of you that want to do a clean up on your own. Follow the instructions and we can provide up to 3 hours per cleanup completed.

You can find and search for cleanups on our website at Find a Cleanup.  You can zoom in on the map to find cleanups in a specific area or use the search options at the top of the page to find cleanups by date, distance, keyword or type.

You can always check our website for the latest cleanups, or to get notified of upcoming cleanups near you, set up an “Alert”. Each Tuesday, we will send you an email with a list of upcoming cleanups over the next 3 weeks that are within a 15 mile radius of the zip code you provided. You can create multiple alerts for different zip codes if you’d like.

1. Go to Home and create an account.
2. Once you login, from the dashboard options on the left, select “Weekly Email Alerts”.
3. Click “Add Alert” and then enter a zip code.

Yes, volunteering at a cleanup is a great way to earn community service hours. Most of the cleanups listed on our website are hosted by 501c3 nonprofits that are able to provide documentation of community service hours, and usually bring the forms with them to the event. Simply ask them for a certificate after completing your volunteer shift. If you have specific paperwork you need signed from your school, bring it with you and ask the onsite leader of the cleanup to sign your paperwork. If the host didn’t bring the forms, take a photo of yourself at the cleanup and send it to [email protected] so we can send you a digital certificate. 

Our website has a feature that automates and streamlines service hours. If you have registered for the event on our site's system, the organizer can check you in at the completion of the cleanup so that a certificate of community service hours will automatically be emailed to you. You can also log in to your account, navigate to "Cleanups I'm Attending", and request the community service form. 

We also offer the opportunity to earn community service hours by doing a solo cleanup with a bonus hour for a well-written 1 page essay.

Volunteering to pick up trash does come with risks, but these can be easily mitigated with common sense and proper precautions. Here are some important safety tips:

1. Be Aware of Hazards: You may encounter sharp items such as broken glass, hypodermic needles, metal with sharp edges, and wood with nails. Additionally, be cautious of uneven terrain, including rocks and holes covered by grass.
2. Personal Responsibility: You are responsible for your own safety. VolunteerCleanup.Org and the event host are not liable for any accidents. Always use common sense and take appropriate precautions.
3. Safety Gear: Wear closed-toe shoes with good traction, gloves to protect your hands, and sunscreen to prevent sunburn. Staying hydrated is also crucial, so drink plenty of water.
4. Work in Pairs: It’s safer and more efficient to work with a partner. If you’re unsure about something, don’t hesitate to ask for another opinion or assistance.
5. Educate Young Participants: If you’re bringing kids, teens, or young adults, ensure they understand proper safety practices. Lead by example to promote a safe environment.

By RSVP’ing to an event, you agree that you are solely responsible for your actions and any injuries. We really want you to stay safe!

For questions about a specific cleanup, it’s best to contact the host who is organizing that cleanup. You can contact them directly from the cleanup event page on our website. 

Keep in mind that VolunteerCleanup.org runs this website as a free community resource where anyone who is organizing a cleanup can post it to this website, and any volunteer can come here to find a cleanup to sign up for. Our website features several cleanups each weekend from various different 3rd party organizers in our network of cleanup partners. Therefore, we can answer questions about cleanups in general and how to use our website but we may not know the specific details of each cleanup posted on our website.

If your answer isn’t provided here in the FAQs and you need additional help, contact us at [email protected].

On each event page for cleanups posted to our website, the organizer info is listed at the bottom. You can click on the organizer or organization name to see their “microsite” with more information about their organization, their social media handle and a “Contact” button where you can send them an email.

The supplies provided at each cleanup vary according to the host or organization leading the cleanup. What they will be providing and what you should bring are usually listed on the cleanup event page. Generally speaking, most cleanup organizers will provide gloves and garbage bags, at minimum. Some organizers (especially if they are an environmental non-profit who hosts many cleanups) will additionally provide things like pickers, buckets or sifters. Check the event page to see if they provide the details. If you have your own working gloves that you like and that fit you well, bring them!

• You should always bring water in a reusable water to reduce plastic waste and many cleanups have onsite water fountains or provide a cooler for cold refills (you should also do this IRL!)
• Dress for the weather. A hat and sunglasses is suggested for a hot and sunny day.
• Sunscreen is always a good idea when outdoors, and insect repellent may be needed if the cleanup will be in mangroves. While hosts may also provide these items if you are particular about the kind of sunscreen or insect repellent you use, you should bring your own.
• We suggest closed-toed shoes in case of broken glass or man-o-war jellyfish, and especially on shorelines with rocky terrain or mangroves. If you will be cleaning a flat sand beach, wear shoes that are comfortable for walking on the sand.