Notable Nonprofits: Keep Salem Beautiful
Quite the Crowd!
Credit: Stacey Poltack, Keep Salem Beautiful
In a city as vibrant and historic as Salem, community pride shows up in many ways—but few are as visible and impactful as the work being done by Keep Salem Beautiful. Part of the broader Keep Massachusetts Beautiful network, this grassroots organization is bringing neighbors together with a shared goal: creating a cleaner, greener place to live, work, and explore. From organizing regular cleanups to fostering meaningful connections among volunteers, Keep Salem Beautiful is proving that small actions can add up to a powerful community movement. We recently spoke with the team behind the organization to learn more about their story, their impact, and how anyone can get involved.
Life in Mass (LIM): For readers who may be discovering Keep Salem Beautiful for the first time, can you share the story behind the organization and how it all began?
Keep Salem Beautiful (KSB): Keep Salem Beautiful (KSB) is one of nearly fifty cities/towns that are a part of Keep Massachusetts Beautiful. Like so many others from across The Bay State, we’re here to make a positive difference in our community to ensure Salem is a cleaner, greener place to live, work and play.
LIM: What inspired you personally to get involved in making Salem cleaner and greener?
KSB: I’ve always been known to pick up litter and coordinate litter cleanups throughout my life. I graduated from Salem State University in 2007 with a degree in Natural Resource Management- protecting our environment and animals has always been a priority in my life.
In 2020, I found myself as a surprise stay at home mom with two young children at home in the midst of a global pandemic. During this time, I was searching for different ways to put my passion for helping the environment to use. I stumbled upon Keep Massachusetts Beautiful and was eager to help support an organization that shared my desire for a cleaner community. I linked up with another resident, Ethan Henshaw, who at the time was a high school student and had been planning community cleanups. Together, we started planning monthly cleanups in Salem. This became a popular way for folks to come together safely outdoors, meet new people and make a positive impact in our community. Since then, we have hosted nearly 100 cleanups and we have a volunteer base of over 600 people.
LIM: How would you describe the mission of Keep Salem Beautiful in your own words?
KSB: Bringing the community together to create a cleaner and greener Salem!
LIM: How do your efforts connect with the broader mission of Keep Massachusetts Beautiful and its goal of creating cleaner, greener communities across the state?
KSB: As Chapter Leader of KSB I have the amazing opportunity to connect with other chapter leaders throughout the state to share our challenges and successes. It’s great to hear what other chapters are doing in their communities and what ideas we can bring to Salem to deepen our impact.
Our organization focuses on cleanups in Salem, MA, but at every cleanup we have volunteers coming from other communities (Danvers, Marblehead, Boston, Peabody, and Newburyport, just to name a few!) These people are coming to Salem to spend their time helping our community make Salem a cleaner place to live, work and play. Oftentimes these volunteers from other communities are inspired by this work and want to organize litter cleanups where they live!
LIM: What are some of the main ways your organization helps improve the community, from litter cleanups to beautification projects?
KSB: We’re not just picking up litter - we are making connections with neighbors, business owners, and local officials. During cleanups we are having important conversations about what types of trash we are finding and how it can be lessened or eliminated. We are constantly sharing trash and recycling education to ensure we are doing our very best to reduce our solid waste and recycle properly.
I’m also a believer that our cleanups can be used as a mental health tool to help people connect with others outdoors. Beautiful friendships have been made at these cleanups - this time outside together is a wonderful way to make connections and get to know others.
LIM: Can you tell us about a recent project or cleanup effort that made a big impact in Salem?
KSB: Salem is a popular tourist destination, especially in October. Salem DPS works extremely hard to maintain over 200 public trash bins and the downtown area. With over 1 million visitors and 45,000 residents, this is a massive undertaking and it can’t be done alone. For the past few years, KSB has focused our November cleanup on the MBTA lot and surrounding areas to focus on spaces that have experienced heavy foot traffic by hundreds of thousands of visitors in a short period of time.
LIM: Keep Salem Beautiful works closely with local government, businesses, and volunteers. Why are these partnerships so important to your work?
KSB: We are truly fortunate to have so many dedicated volunteers who consistently show up for our cleanups. We like to take the opportunity during our cleanups to make announcements of what other amazing things are happening - from Book Swaps, Electronic Waste Recycling Events, Repair Cafes (fix it clinics), other litter cleanups taking place, we are encouraging our volunteers to get involved in so many other ways. We are fortunate to have city councilors attend our cleanups, along with our Mayor. We are grateful for the support we receive from Salem DPS as they are always willing to help us with solid waste removal after each litter cleanup.
LIM: What kinds of volunteer opportunities are available for people who want to get involved, even if they only have a little time to spare?
Our 2026 calendar of cleanup events is posted! While our cleanups are usually 2 hours long, we welcome you to join whatever portion of the cleanup you’re able to. Even if you’re able to commit to one cleanup, make a 2026 goal to get outside with KSB!
LIM: What has surprised you most about the community response to your efforts?
KSB: What stands out most is when we’re hosting a cleanup and someone who is walking by inquires what we’re doing and then asks to be a part of the cleanup. This happens more often than you would think!
LIM: For someone who wants to make a difference but isn’t sure where to start, what small actions can they take in their own neighborhood?
KSB: No matter where you live in our beautiful state, take the pledge to keep your community clean and join the Massachusetts litter cleanup crew!
LIM: What role do you think environmental education plays in helping communities care for their public spaces?
KSB: Environmental education at every age is crucial. At KSB, we educate through action. It’s one thing for people to learn about the negative effects humans have on the natural environment and it’s another for them to actually see the cigarettes, candy wrappers, and plastic water bottle caps on a beach.
LIM: What are some of the biggest challenges your organization faces when it comes to litter prevention and community beautification?
KSB: Until litter doesn’t exist, we will continue to meet regularly to do our part. Volunteers do often feel demotivated after spending time cleaning a park or beach, only to find it messy again in a short period of time. We need to hold businesses accountable to have their dumpsters properly secured, public trash bins need to be enclosed so birds and other animals cannot access what’s inside, and we need people to understand that the trash they toss out their car window does not belong in the natural environment.
LIM: Looking ahead, are there any exciting initiatives, events, or projects on the horizon that people should know about?
The 5th annual Great Salem Cleanup is taking place Saturday May 16th, 2026. This is a city-wide effort that brings hundreds of volunteers together! (Registration should be announced in the coming weeks!)
LIM: If there’s one message you’d love every Salem resident to hear about caring for their city, what would it be?
We live in a coastal community so it’s even more important to keep our city clean. Any time you see litter and can safely dispose of it, you have the opportunity to make a difference.
At its core, Keep Salem Beautiful is about more than picking up litter—it’s about building a sense of shared responsibility and pride in the places we call home. Whether it’s joining a cleanup, spreading awareness, or simply picking up a piece of trash during a walk, every effort makes a difference. As the organization looks ahead to initiatives like the upcoming Great Salem Cleanup, one thing is clear: when a community comes together, real change happens. If you’ve been looking for a simple, meaningful way to give back, this might be the perfect place to start.