In 2020, San Fernando retiree Jill Mather began walking her neighborhood four miles a day, collecting cans and bottles she found on the curb. The next week, she posted a call on Nextdoor inviting neighbors to join her, and a dozen people answered. By the end of the month, the group—later named Volunteers Cleaning Communities—had gathered weekly, amassing more than 100 regular volunteers and clearing over 200,000 pounds of trash from streets, parks and State Route 118.
Mather said the idea came after COVID kept her at home and she wanted to stay active. "I could take a long walk, and I could also clean up," she told a local news outlet. The group uses the money they raise to buy heavy‑duty bags, vests and backpacks, and they donate recyclables to the city’s waste‑management program.
Besides cleanup, the group hosts quarterly game nights and monthly birthday celebrations, fostering a community that has produced friendships and even marriages. "They are my new family," said Emilie Koster, a former UCLA volunteer, who met her partner through the group. The camaraderie has kept turnout high even after restrictions eased.
City officials have praised the initiative, noting the environmental benefits and reduced litter in the area. Mather says the group has already removed 750,000 pounds of debris in six years and plans to scale the effort, targeting neighboring towns by spring, and hopes to partner with local schools to involve youth.
The group’s success demonstrates how grassroots action can yield measurable impact, with 750,000 lbs of debris eliminated—a figure that rivals municipal cleanup budgets.