If you’ve ever shopped in SoHo or dined in Little Italy, you’ve probably seen the ACE street sweepers working hard to keep our neighborhoods clean. In communities across Lower Manhattan, they sweep the sidewalks, remove graffiti, and bag trash. This important work is funded by the buildings, individuals, and businesses who become Members of ACE.
Not only does street sweeping keep New York clean, but it is also a crucial component of our program participants’ vocational rehabilitation. Working on the crews earns them a paycheck, but it also teaches the rules and requirements of the workplace—and helps them build their resumes. What’s more is that by performing a service to the greater community, they feel they are an important part of that community. This sense of belonging is invaluable for someone who has spent years on the streets, being stepped over, looked down upon, or ignored by passersby.
The ACE Street Sweeper Crew by the Numbers:
54,990 hours logged by ACE workers each year sweeping the streets of New York.
7 days a week that ACE crews are keeping your neighborhood clean.
200,000+ bags of trash collected each year.
2,880,000 pounds of debris and litter removed from city streets over 362 days of work.
