Keep Cincinnati Beautiful

Keep Cincinnati Beautiful (KCB) is an award winning nonprofit organization that promotes beautification, recycling, litter prevention, and community pride. KCB has been improving Cincinnati landscapes for over 30 years. Their programs are based on changing behavior and cultivating community pride. They focus on providing sustainable results through initiatives and work to improve not only the environment in which we live, but of our lives as well. KCB is led by volunteer board and financially supported by individual and corporate donations, grants, foundations, and the city of Cincinnati. Former city council member Helen Hinckley started the organization in 1978, at the request of city manager, Bill Donaldson. The goal was to promote recycling, litter prevention, community improvement and beautification through citizen action. Over the years the organization has changed from Clean Cincinnati Inc., to Keep Cincinnati Beautiful to reflect their affiliation with Keep America Beautiful. 

Over its years of existence, KCB has won many outstanding awards:

• Affiliate of the Year -  1st Place Winner: 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012 -  2nd Place Winner: 1997, 1998, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
• President’s Circle Award: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
• National Outstanding Sponsor Award -  1st Place Winner: 2000, 2006, 2009
• Innovation Award: 2010
• Polar Bears International Paw of Approval: 2012
• The Business Courier Green Business Award for Nonprofit Advocacy: 2012, 2013
• Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations Ohio Nonprofit Excellence Award:2011
• Emmy® Award Public Service Announcement 1st Place Winner: 2004
• MetLife Community Police Partnership Award: 2007
• Make A Difference Day Outstanding Project Award: 2005

http://keepcincinnatibeautiful.org/aboutus/ourstory/

This rewards come without a lot of hard work. There are many programs managed by KCB throughout the community. At its core are the Great American Cleanup, Future Blooms, Adopt a Spot, and Daffodils & Daylilies. These programs have high-impact, promote sustainability, and operate year round. These programs are ran and carried through by volunteers and funded by local sponsors and fundraising. 

The Great American Cleanup is from March through November and brings together thousands of volunteers to improve their quality of life. KCB provides cleanup supplies and logistical support for the beautification projects. The activities done with the Great American Cleanup include picking up trash, planting trees, flowers, weeding etc. After a cleanup is completed the park or general area is restored to a beautiful, clean and green new space. Where trashcans can be found and insects and animals can live without being harmed. I have personally been involved in a cleanup and saw a huge improvement in the alley and roadways that I helped to clean up. It was a very rewarding experience.

Daffodils & Daylilies was created in 1998 to help create a more aesthetic scene along the highway, welcome visitors, and deter litter. Since its beginning nearly one million flowers have been planted at several highly visible locations, cared for by volunteers and paid for by generous people. This is my favorite KCB event and is one I strongly support. In order to maintain the flowerbeds, KCB relies on fundraising as well as a network of volunteers and corporate sponsors. 

Keep Cincinnati Beautiful does exactly that, keeps Cincinnati beautiful. This is a very important organization that improves our communities and brings people together. Having clean streets and parks in our community is important for the ecosystem, the air we breathe, instrumental value, and just something pretty to look at and make one happy. It is fantastic that this is a nonprofit organization and it still has so much capability too be so prodigious. There can never be too many donations and volunteering so, go get involved and make Cincinnati BEAUTIFUL!