Keep Indianapolis Beautiful is a nonprofit organization under the larger branch of the Keep America Beautiful nonprofit that has been running for over forty years. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, or KIB, maintains over eight hundred community projects and a network of over 20,000 volunteers. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful has projects ranging from forestry and habitat buildup to trash cleanup and neighborhood stewardship. The survival of these programs and the positive effect it has on Indy is powered by volunteers from all around Indy. Most of the programs come at little to no cost to participate in.
Community Forestry
Keeping Indianapolis Beautiful sponsors a program to plant trees all over Marion County. Their mission statement addresses the need for a growth of over 100,000 large trees in Marion County alone. This program is vital to the KIB mission due to the trees’ ability to stabilize air quality, as well as prevent extensive flooding near waterways like the White River. To participate in growing Marion County’s forest, there are many different pathways on the KIB website. There, one can apply for 20 trees and planting materials to use in their neighborhood or volunteer at tree plantings in others.
Great Indy Cleanup
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful also sponsors the Great Indy Cleanup with the city government of Indianapolis. This program allows Indianapolis residents to coordinate a neighborhood cleanup every weekend from April to October. The application is online now on the website, where there is a request form available. Great Indy Cleanup also sponsors two “focus neighborhoods” a year to designate key resources and guidance to cleanup of a neighborhood. The WCHS PTSA for the second year in a row has partnered with KIB’s Great Indy Cleanup program to operate “Warren Pride Cleanup.” Applications for 2019 have closed, however 2020 is just around the corner.
Adopt A Block
Adopt-a-Block is a program that gives individuals who feel like they are capable and passionate to lead the cleanup of their neighborhood resources to clean up their block. Every ‘block captain’ is provided with cleanup kits, training sessions and a free tree through the Community Forestry program. However, it is not only limited to neighborhoods, as businesses and schools can apply to be block captains as well. The application is available online on the KIB website.
KIB GreenKids
GreenKids is a school specific program offered by KIB, which partners with a school applicant to build an outdoor classroom to teach kids about the environment and re-connect them with nature. Some highlight areas of the program are a nature garden, an orchard, and/or a nature play area. Currently, there are no documented GreenKids partner schools in Warren Township.