A Cleaner Alki – Van & Sustainability Fund

Introduction: Hi neighbors, I've been nudged by friends of A Cleaner Alki to help raise capital as our work van was stolen with all of our gear in it. Beyond that, any money raised would be used for a sustainability fund for our ongoing cleanup efforts.

I've been operating for several years now out-of-pocket and out of our family's Honda Pilot and will be back to that scenario until the van resurfaces, but the group's scope and supplies have far exceeded our car’s capacity–quite literally not allowing us to shut the hatch some days after cleanups.

More about our cleanup efforts: I run a volunteer-powered cleanup group in West Seattle called A Cleaner Alki which is active almost every day of the year. I deliver our self-led Block Drop stations around West Seattle each day for volunteers to collect trash from family-friendly locations like residential neighborhoods, schools, parks, beaches and business junctions. I also organize and facilitate weekly community cleanup Events along neglected roadways, at illegal dumping sites, picking up garbage from unhoused neighbors in RVs or cleaning up encampments with consent from residents. We’ve also recently added Spruced! cleanups to our lineup where we work on overgrown sidewalks, staircases and dilapidated properties—reestablishing cleaner, safer neighborhood infrastructure and pass-throughs.

All of these cleanup efforts are amplified by the power of our many volunteers.

Results Driven: Over the past 2 years our combined cleanup efforts, in partnership with Seattle Public Utilities’ Adopt a Street program, have helped remove over 30 tons of trash from the community with the help of 7,500+ volunteers. My goal is to make this a full time endeavor in our community and with the aid of our growing corps of volunteers, help create a culture of stewardship and public service in West Seattle.

More about me: I've lived in West Seattle within 3 miles of Alki Beach my entire life. I'm married with four kids and am a fourth generation West Seattleite who wants to help create a cleaner, safer and more inclusive community with like-minded neighbors. Cleanups have been a part of my life for quite a while as my brother Garet and I have met on Alki every Saturday morning for years to work on our relationship and the beach.

Over the pandemic I found myself turning to daily cleanups as a way to make connections with my neighborhood and as a tool for my own personal and spiritual health. I'm happy to report that working with others for this common goal has filled me in ways that were lacking before, and I love that more people in our community are finding these activities beneficial in their lives as well.

All that said, I'd like to better prepare for growing our team of helpers and the future opportunities we can offer for civic engagement. Establishing a fund for an appropriate work vehicle and operating expenses would be a huge step toward that goal which I believe will help us grow, stay organized and better serve our community.

Funding: Any funds raised will go directly towards a replacement van, vehicle maintenance, fuel and other community engagement initiatives we have in the works to expand our reach and help realize a thriving, healthy community. As of now, this is still just a passion project, A Cleaner Alki is not a business, tho I'm in the process of seeking out a fiscal sponsor so as to get non-profit status for future fundraising, but this is where I'm at now. Because of this, donations are not tax deductible at this time.

We're always looking to expand our team and grow our offerings, you can find us on Facebook at A Cleaner Alki or on our website byandby.org.

Thank you for your consideration, 

Erik Bell

A Cleaner Alki