The AFRO Clean Block developed in 1934 by Frances L Murphy I, is the nation’s oldest existing environmental program. The CLEAN-GREEN BLOCK AWARDS was a summer long competition designed to promote cleaning, greening, and sustaining projects in Baltimore neighborhoods. Registration for the competition began June 1st and ended on July 30th.This was the second year that the Afro Clean-Green Block Program had gone "Green" in partnership with the City of Baltimore. TEN blocks entered this year’s competition and residents on those blocks worked extensively throughout the summer to clean, green and beautify their blocks.
Mayor Dixon noted that "10 blocks responded to the call of service and those combined communities had organized more than forty community ‘pitch-ins’ and beautification projects since May, and sustained that level of clean and green throughout the summer." Many blocks showed decorated homes with flowering window boxes and even joined together to petition and obtain mechanical street sweeping services. These areas also conducted neighborhood walks to identify sanitation and housing code problems and then worked with the City to have those issues addressed. The efforts of these blocks was nothing short of inspiring and included establishing recycling in each household.
These 10 blocks brought the "Don’t Hide The Pride –Make A Difference" theme to life, showcasing their community pride and dignity and encouraging home improvements and complimentary landscaping projects that unified the blocks and the residents.
Surprise judging took place on September 10 at which time, 4 finalists were selected out of 10 entries.
On Saturday, October 3rd at the Afro American Newspapers , Mayor Sheila Dixon and Afro publisher Jake Oliver announced the winners of the 75th Annual Clean Block. The Neighborhood Appreciation Trolley Ride took place right after the press conference where Mayor Dixon, the AFRO publishers, cleaner-greener judges and other city officials visited each of the finalists. All of them received items for a neighborhood cook-out, community signs for their blocks, single stream recycling bins, and energy and weatherization information. In addition, the households on the overall winning block received subscriptions to the AFRO, signs for each home in their block, re-usable Cleaner-Greener tote bags and T-shirts.
This year’s efforts highlighted how hundreds of city residents, public officials, city agencies and local media can work together to clean and beautify neighborhoods one block at a time. The Initiative for a Cleaner Greener Baltimore, DPW’s Bureau of Solid Waste, and the Department of General Services supported the competition by providing cleaning tools and supplies. The AFRO along with other media partners highlighted participating blocks throughout the competition. And many corporations came together to support the effort and reward the winning blocks including: AFRO American Newspapers, the Baltimore Community Foundation, Maryland Beverage Association, Coca Cola, Giant Food, Safeway Supermarkets and Landmark Theatres.
Congratulations once again to the Overall Winner of the 2009 Afro Clean-Block Competition, the Residents of the 1200 Block of Whatcoat Street their community leader Mr. C.P. Price and the finalists; the Residents of 100 Block of Culver Street and Mr. Eric Airson; the Residents of 700 Block of East 30th Street and Debra Evans, and the Residents of 2400 Etting Street and Mr. Irving Hall.
| PHOTOS (click on an image to view larger) |
 Afro Clean Green Block |
