Adopting a Site – Community Stewardship

 

Thank you for your interest in adopting a site! This is an excellent opportunity to reduce litter in your area and directly contribute to a safer, more beautiful Tucson.

Officially adopting a site means you commit to monthly cleanups and reporting afterwards to keep us updated. You can do cleanups whenever is convenient for you (self-organized). We provide all supplies for free and will be the point of contact for any issues, including graffiti and bulky items like shopping carts. We also arrange for pickup of the trash bags you filled. After a six-month evaluation period, your group will be recognized with a sign!

How to Adopt A Public Site

STEP 1: Gather A Group
Gather a group of reliable volunteers to work together on monthly cleanups. For safety reasons, we are unable to adopt sites out to individuals. It’s more fun to volunteer and serve with others anyway!

STEP 2: Pick A Group Leader
Team leaders are essential for ongoing communication with TCB and ensure the group’s continued success as stewards of the adopted site.

STEP 3: Select A Site
You can choose a park, street, traffic circle, wash, or in our rivers. Volunteers under 18 require adult supervision and are not allowed on streets with speed limits above 25 mph. Use this MAP to see what’s available for adoption (in red).

STEP 4: Submit Interest FormYou’re ready to submit the Adoption Interest Form!

STEP 5: Meet With Adopt-A-Site Staff
Contact us to meet in-person with one of our staff members. We will meet at the site you adopted to go over basic safety guidelines, provide supplies, and do a brief walkthrough of the area.

STEP 6: Cleanup Time!
Regular or advance-scheduled events are the most successful. Plan to visit the site at least once or twice a month (depending on the site needs) to remove litter and debris, and to make note of any conditions that require attention by maintenance employees.

STEP 7: Report Group Activity
Group leaders complete an online Volunteer Report after each cleanup. Please watch this short video on How To Make a Report. If you prefer, you can download and return a printable/scannable Volunteer Report. These reports help us track your progress and stay informed on any maintenance needs. Regular cleanups and report forms are required to continue as a recognized volunteer group in good standing.

STEP 8: Be Recognized For Your Work!
After successful completion of a six-month evaluation period, TCB and our partnering agencies will recognize your group’s ongoing stewardship commitment with a sign and ceremony at your adopted site. Your group can take pride in keeping our parks and streets safe and beautiful for all of us to enjoy!

“In Memory Of” signs not available: Adopt-a-Park & Public Areas program guidelines do not permit “In Memory Of” adoptions or recognition signage naming individuals for sites administered by TCB. A company or organization may volunteer to become stewards of a site with project recognition in that group’s name for a project inspired by loved ones. Or, consider purchasing a commemorative tree dedication to honor those you care about, for any reason! Parents or guardians of deceased children, regardless of age or circumstance, may also request engraving of the child’s name at one or both of the area children’s memorials.

Questions about adopting a site? Email adoptapark@tucsoncleanandbeautiful.org or call(520) 837-6830.

Program History

The first Adopt-a-Park project was held at “A” Mountain (Sentinel Peak) on July 26, 1984 when a coalition of city and county government leaders, the business community, and volunteers from community organizations joined forces. This is the original Tucson Clean & Beautiful program, and serves as our foundation in continuing to work with community volunteer groups to improve our environment and quality of life.

Since its inception, Tucson Clean & Beautiful volunteers have contributed over 300,000 service hours at parks, washes, streets, and other public sites, including over 20,000 hours – valued at over $400,000 – just in the past year!

Several new groups are just starting projects, and a handful of dedicated groups have continued their Adopt-a-Park & Public Areas commitment for more than two decades! Presently there are over 300 sites adopted by community groups. Take a look at the map of available and adopted sites.

Thank you to our volunteer groups such as students from the University of Arizona who documented many of their volunteer efforts at many Tucson area organizations, and KOLD News 13 for its coverage!

Questions about adopting a site? Email adoptasite@tucsoncleanandbeautiful.org or call us at 520-837-6830.