August 13, 2017 – Streets in River North should be tidier with resumption of a weekend street cleaning program.

River North Clean Streets is a non-profit project managed by River North Residents Association and River North Business Association. They have engaged Cleanslate Chicago to have crews clear trash, broken glass, cigarette butts, and pet waste from sponsored blocks. Businesses and residents can sponsor one side of a block for six months for a tax-deductible $520, paid in advance, or both sides for $1,040.

The streets are cleaned on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Workers also clean out tree pits, storm drains, and over-flowing trash bins. They separate recyclables from trash and report to the city any new graffiti.

Cleanslate gets its workers from The Cara Program, a nonprofit that helps people with employment barriers – like homelessness, poverty, and criminal records – get back to work.

RNRA says utilizing the Cara workers is less expensive than paying its own employees or letting city workers do the same job for union wages.