Press release from BeLoved Asheville:
On Tuesday, March 1st, BeLoved Asheville brought unhoused neighbors together to share their gifts and energy to clean downtown Asheville. Over 20 people came out for the second clean up of its kind in just two weeks.
These leaders and community residents were there to be a part of the solution. There was much joy among those helping clean the town.
The clean up began at Pritchard Park with participants picking up trash along all of the familiar corridors downtown including Patton Ave, College St., Wall Street, Battery Park, in front of the Federal Building, Haywood St., Lexington Ave., Biltmore Ave. and ending by cleaning at the Lexington Avenue Bridge.
“It makes me feel good to be able to get out and help to keep our community clean. We all live here and we all worked together today. It feels really good,” said one participant.
Another talked about the yellow vests that everyone was wearing: “It is amazing what happens when we all wear the same vest because we all put it on the same way and we all take it off the same way. We are all the same at the end of the day. We are on the same team taking care of our City,” said a second participant
Ponkho Bermejo, BeLoved Asheville Co-Director said, “BeLoved has always had as a part of our work care for the commons and empowering people to make a difference. We are so proud to stand next to these neighbors who want to care for our City. We continue to hope this City will work to create shelter and home for those who are struggling in this housing crisis.”BeLoved Asheville’s mission is to build community bringing people together from all walks of life to create innovative solutions to our toughest challenges.
Sure…let the locals clean up after the tourists.