Make a Difference for People, Water, & Wildlife – Lead a Clean Up

This spring and summer, community members across the Chicago-Calumet River system are invited to roll up their sleeves and help protect the river by organizing litter cleanups using Friends of the Chicago River’s Litter Free Supply Stations.

Located at community hubs throughout the watershed, the stations are stocked with everything volunteers need to host a safe and successful cleanup, including gloves, trash bags, grabbers, and other supplies. Since the network launched in 2023, more than 2,800 volunteers have used the stations to lead self-guided cleanups in neighborhoods across the region.

Currently, a network of 18 supply stations are available throughout the watershed and are open to individuals, families, schools, community groups, and organizations looking to make a visible impact close to home. Each station also includes a bilingual Litter Free Toolkit, available in English and Spanish, that walks organizers through every step of planning a cleanup—from selecting a site and recruiting volunteers to safely collecting and disposing of litter.

“Every cleanup helps strengthen the connection between people and the environment while making neighborhoods healthier,” said Becky Lyons. “These stations make it easy for anyone to take action and be part of building a cleaner, more vibrant Chicago-Calumet River system.”

The supply stations are part of the larger Litter Free Chicago-Calumet River initiative, which combines community action with research, advocacy, and public-private partnerships to reduce litter pollution and improve the health of the river system for all people, water, and wildlife.