On Saturday, September 16 and Sunday, September 17, some 250 residents of Homewood and Squirrel Hill got together to clean up their neighborhoods.  Spearheaded by the UJF and the East Side Community the Homewood/Squirrel Hill Redd Up Coalition included several Homewood neighborhood groups, the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition, three City Council members, the Department of Public Works and the late Mayor Bob O'Connor's Operation Redd Up.  With substantial assistance from the city's Department of Public Works, folks spread out to pick up litter and trash primarily on Braddock Avenue in Homewood and throughout Squirrel Hill.  The impact was immediately noticeable.

Volunteers from both Squirrel Hill and Homewood gathered together on Sunday afternoon at Mellon Park to celebrate their accomplishment at a picnic, with food generously donated by Giant Eagle.  Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, City Council President Doug Shields and City Councilman Bill Peduto attended the Sunday afternoon picnic to greet and thank volunteers.

The Homewood/Squirrel Hill Redd Up Coalition was co-chaired by Boris Weinstein from the UJF's Environmental Committee and by Bernadette Turner, of the East Side Community Collaborative.

Volunteers from Community Day School 

UJF's Lisa Primo registers volunteers.

Bags of trash wait to be collected by the Department of Public Works at Forbes and Murray.  Multiple truck loads were carted away, according to Gregg Daily of DPW.