Volunteers spread out for 2025 Philly Spring Clean-Up

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Dozens of people descended on the streets and properties of Philadelphia on Saturday morning for the 2025 Philly Spring Cleanup.

Action News caught up with volunteers at The Lighthouse and St. Christophers Children's Hospital on East Eerie Avenue as they began picking up and sweeping up.

"I'm a transplant, but I've been here for 8 years, so this is my home, my city, want to clean it up for us and clean it up for others as well," said clean up volunteer, with the Philadelphia Soccer 2026, Siah McCabe.

The signature event has served as the City's largest cleanup event.

This was the 18th year.

"Nothing could make me more proud as the mayor of this city," said Mayor Cherelle Parker.

For Parker, she says this initiative is another chance to make the city cleaner and greener. One of her key points during her campaign.

"We've had a heavy focus on vacant lots and each community, people of all ages. It's like an inter-generational spring clean up," said Parker.

Some of the goals this year were to engage 5,000 volunteers, remove 100,000 pounds of trash, clean 500 residential blocks, and plant 100 trees.

In Kensington, the goal was to turn a forgotten corner lot on D and Cambria Streets into a community garden.

"We been here since 9 in the morning, earlier we were building a garden then we came over here to help them remove some rocks," said Daniel Jurado.

Jurado was one of the volunteers through the teenaged-run Clean Kensington group who came to participate.

They removed bags of trash, gathered armfuls of limbs, and removed rubble.

"This is amazing. I didn't think it could look this good," said Ed Esquivel.

Meanwhile, at Tacony Creek Park, they tackled a major illegal tire dumping removal effort.

Organizers tell Action News hundreds of tires were removed.

"As we count down to America250, keeping our city beautiful is more than a task-it's a celebration of our identity, our history, and our future," said Carlton Williams, Director of, the Office of Clean and Green Initiatives.