Councilmember Michael Johnson's
Arizona Informant Column
June 18, 2003
Free Tools Available for Neighborhood and Community Groups
Improving the look and value of your neighborhood may be less expensive than you thought. How does free sound?
You can help give your neighborhood a boost with some free supplies and tools, thanks to the city's Neighborhood Services Department. Churches, community groups, block watch groups and community business have taken advantage of these items and now you can, too.
The city held nearly 200 cleanups from July, 2002 through April of this year with the help of our tool-lending program. This included more than 7,000 participants who got involved and helped to clean 932 lots. These cleanups cleared more than 700 tons of trash and litter.
I'm proud to say that neighborhood and community groups in my District 8 took advantage of this program. More than 60 percent of all the cleanups were requested and took place in my district, ensuring that residents have neighborhoods that are well-kept, clean and ones in which they can take great pride. Not only does this program clean up and improve neighborhoods, but it also builds community -- a sense of accomplishment, pride and self-satisfaction. Thank you to those neighborhood and community groups in District 8 that took advantage of this program.
Tools and equipment are available to community or businesses groups, not individuals. However, if you're an organization and are interested in helping someone like an elderly resident who doesn't have the resources to clean up his or her property, we can still lend out the tools as part of a community service effort.
Some of the tools available include: paint sprayers, weed eaters, paint rollers, brushes, buckets, ladders, brooms, shovels, garbage bags, wheelbarrows, pole trimmers, hedge shears, hoes, rakes, water coolers and gloves, among other things.
If you're neighborhood or business group could use some of these items for free, call Neighborhood Services at 602-495-0323. You'll be glad you did!
Michael Johnson is a Phoenix City Council member who represents District 8. You can reach his office at 602-262-7493 or via e-mail at michael.johnson@phoenix.gov .
