A nonprofit volunteer group tackling Chicago’s litter pollution problems through cleanups, city outreach, and promoting waste reduction.
Founded in July 2020, Cleanup Club Chicago is a dedicated group of Chicago residents who care about the environment and taking care of our community. We combat litter by organizing group cleanups on both land and water, promoting individual cleanup challenges, collaborating with the city to tackle litter removal and reduction, and fostering a culture that discourages wasteful practices. We maintain a network of Cleanup Captains across the city, enabling us to engage with a diverse array of neighborhoods. We now have nonprofit status through the Illinois Environmental Council!
As of May 25th, 2026:
We have over 1,700 members across Chicago
We have collected over 6,100 kitchen-sized bags of litter, weighing more than 52,000 lbs
We have completed 120 group cleanup events
Logo/Banner Credit: Kara Cooke
2026 Event Schedule
Cleanups and other events are added to this page on a rolling basis, once details are set. Please sign up for our newsletter (aka become a member) at the bottom of this page to receive updates when these events are open for registration.
March 22: Logan Square Cleanup
March 29: Ohio Street Beach Cleanup
April 4: Ravenswood Ave Cleanup
April 11: Bronzeville Cleanup
April 20: Private Cleanup - West Loop
April 25: Garfield Park Cleanup
April 26: Rogers Park Cleanup
April 28: Private Cleanup - The Loop
May 8: Private Cleanup - West Loop
May 28: Private Cleanup - Bucktown
June 14: South Loop Cleanup
June 19-21: Lakeshore Festival Cleanup (Members Only)
June 25: NW Branch Kayaking Cleanup (Members Only)
July 9: Garbage Gals Collab Cleanup in Humboldt Park
July 18: Private Cleanup - UIC Campus Area
Meet Our Captains
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Nicole Stratman
Cleanup Coordinator
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Seemi Siddiqui
North Side Captain
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Jonathan Horak
North Side Captain
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Reonna H
South Side Captain
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Ilana Morgan-Lopez
West Side Captain
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Bennett Chan
West Side Captain
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Anthony Nissen
South Side Captain
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Lizzy Sanders
North Side Captain
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Amman West
West Side Captain
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Cullyn Doerfler
North Side Captain
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Brad Zibung
West Side Captain
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Marnie Thompson
North Side Captain
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![Annette Anderson]()
Annette Anderson
West Side Captain
Thank You to Our 2026 Sponsors and Supporters!
Other Partners:
Want to sponsor us? Please email us at cleanupclubchicago@gmail.com
Become a Member
For questions related to sponsorship,
press/media inquiries, and student projects, please contact us at cleanupclubchicago@gmail.com.
*Please note that we are volunteers and appreciate serious inquiries out of respect for our time.
Visit this page for more information on public cleanup sponsorships and private cleanups.
In the News
WGN (11/06/2025)
Chicago and Philadelphia’s epic street cleanup showdown
NBC Chicago Today (9/3/2025)
Cleanup Club Discusses their 100th Cleanup
Chicago Star (6/6/2025)
Be a Windy City hero: Chicago’s top volunteer spots, including playing with puppies
Axios Chicago (4/14/2025)
Litter lifters joins forces to clean up Chicago
WBEZ Reset (4/1/2025)
Spring Cleaning, anyone?
The Loyola Phoenix (10/23/2024)
Cleanup Club Chicago Tackles Urban Pollution
NBC Chicago Today (6/29/2022)
Cleanup Club Chicago Takes Trash into Their Own Hands, Collect 11,500 Pounds in Two Years
Friends of the Chicago River (12/17/2021)
River Commitment Awards Honor Three for Exceptional Work
WBEZ Reset (12/9/2021)
Cleanup Club Chicago removed thousands of pounds of garbage from around the city this year
Block Club (12/1/2021)
Cleanup Club Chicago, A Volunteer Group Sprucing Up The City, Is Ready To Grow After Collecting Tons Of Trash