Glitter's mascot is a friendly waving raccoon with a broom

Let us clean Your Block.

Glitter is an affordable service that keeps litter and trash off your streets, sidewalks, and storm drains. Our pay-what-you-can model brings neighbors together to fund weekly cleaning. Make a pledge today to get started on your block.

HOW IT WORKS

  • Two speech bubbles with dollar signs in them

    Make a pledge

    Pay what you can by making a pledge that fits your budget.

  • Open hand illustration with a sparkling heart above it

    Share and save

    Costs are shared by everyone who signs up on your block.

  • Megaphone illustration with a bolt coming from the speaker

    Spread the word

    We provide tools and materials to help get neighbors on board.

  • Calendar illustration with a circle icon

    Weekly Cleanups

    Cleaning starts once per month. Raise funds for weekly service.

2 ways to get started

Illustrated rowhouse with front stoop

start a new block

Sign your block up for Glitter. Make the first pledge and we’ll help you spread the word.

Row of 4 illustrated rowhouses on an urban street

Find an existing block

Find a block Glitter is already cleaning and make a pledge to share the cost with neighbors.

Learn more

  • Our main focus is removing litter and trash from the sidewalks, street, and storm drains. When time allows, we’ll also sweep up leaves and pull weeds.

    We report bulk items like tires, appliances, and construction debris to the city for removal.

    We’ll clean up anything that is safe to handle, including discarded needles and bagged pet waste. We cannot handle other hazardous materials, such as unbagged feces or dead animals.

  • A block is one city street between two major intersections and includes both sides of the street. The average block in Philadelphia is 450 ft and has 60 households!

    If your block is anything but “average,” we’ll work with you to determine an equivalent cleanup area. We can usually adjust cleanup costs to accommodate larger and smaller areas.

  • For standard blocks, a weekly cleaning subscription is $200 per month and can be split by any number of neighbors. Cleanups begin once per month when at least $50 is pledged and increase with more pledges.

    Each neighbor makes a pledge that works for their budget. We pool all pledges to fund block cleanings. Once a block is fully-funded, additional pledges lower the cost for existing subscribers. Rates automatically adjust every month to pass along maximum savings.

    We collect payment once cleanups begin. Your initial payment may be prorated if joining during an existing billing cycle. Payments recur automatically every four weeks.

    Missed cleanups are rare, but if it does happen, a credit is applied to offset your next payment. You never pay for a cleanup you don’t receive.

  • Every block gets a fundraising page where neighbors make their pledge. We display the block’s current pledges, cleanup frequency, and photos from prior cleanups. Neighbors have the option to display their names or remain anonymous.

    To help spread the word, outreach materials are available by request and shipped directly to you. Available materials include door hangers, letters, and yard/railing signs. They are customized for each block with QR codes.

  • By default, cleanings are scheduled the day before trash day and bagged litter and trash is placed curbside for city collection the next day.

    Cleaning can also be scheduled after trash day. We require at least one neighbor to volunteer to hold the collected bag(s) to put out for curbside collection the next week. Volunteers often hold bags in an outdoor trash can, alley, or backyard.

    Cleanup schedules adjust automatically to accommodate city-observed holidays.

    Cleanups begin as soon as they are funded and a Glitter cleaner is available. Most cleanups start within 1-2 weeks of funding.

  • We celebrate a diverse team of cleaners who share our passion and commitment for cleaner, safer, and more optimistic neighborhoods. Cleaners include students funding their education, parents requiring flexible work, and individuals seeking a second chance following reentry.

    We prioritize hiring from underemployed populations and are proud to offer paid training, free branded gear and supplies, a $20 per hour starting wage and company profit-sharing.

    Whenever possible, we hire cleaners who live nearby and assign them the same blocks each week so that cleaners and neighbors get to know and rely on each other. Our goal is to care for blocks as if we lived there—and sometimes we do!

  • There is no long-term commitment with Glitter. All contributions are month-to-month and you can cancel anytime by emailing hello@shareglitter.com.

    As long as we have enough pledges from other neighbors to fund at least one cleanup per month, the subscription remains active.

  • Please reach out to us anytime to share how things are going and how we can make Glitter even better for you and your neighbors.

    We are a team of proud Philadelphians just like you who want to see our neighborhoods thrive. We’d love to know whenever we meet that goal and whenever we miss the mark so we can improve.

    Contact us by email at hello@shareglitter.com or by phone at 215-995-0210.

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