This month, in partnership with Central City Concern, our Downtown Portland Clean & Safe staff hosted an appreciation lunch for our Clean Start program cleaning crew. If you have spent time in the downtown area, you may have come across members of our cleaning crew sporting their safety orange uniforms – these are the individuals working tirelessly to keep our downtown city streets clean. Their work centers around sweeping sidewalks, removing graffiti, picking up litter, pressure washing outdoor surfaces, and responding to immediate cleaning requests from downtown businesses.
During our lunch, some of our crew members shared their personal stories with us. They detailed how the Clean Start Program has been instrumental to their recovery and how it has provided them with an opportunity to positively impact the community. One crew member shared:
“When I got this job, they gave me a chance for a promotion. And the plus for me is being out there in the community and helping out the community and having something that people appreciate.”
It was truly an honor and a privilege to host this team. Thank you so much to our cleaning crews!
And if you’re out in the downtown area and come across members of our safety and cleaning crews, please show your appreciation to these hardworking individuals – a smile and a thank you goes a long way!