Since 2004, we have united with communities and businesses to be stewards of Durham by removing thousands of pounds of waste, planting trees & community gardens, and bringing people together to take care of Durham’s environment.
OUR MISSION
We build environmentally just, resilient, and beautiful outdoor spaces in cooperation with Durham communities.
Our Values
We know resources have not been equitably distributed historically. We connect communities with resources to build a more just, resilient, and equitable Durham environment. We make it easy for everyone to volunteer with roles for youth, seniors, coworkers and families serving together. Our projects have visible and long-lasting impact.
Our VISION
At Keep Durham Beautiful, our vision is that everyone in Durham has access to clean, green and beautiful outdoor spaces. That’s why we listen and take action every day to learn about our community’s environmental needs. While it is daunting to try to solve the issues challenging our environment alone, Keep Durham Beautiful is here to make it easier. Together we can lay the foundation for a resilient community.
An affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Keep Durham Beautiful is a 501c3 nonprofit. We work in partnership with the City of Durham and Durham County to help residents take action through volunteer opportunities, tool lending, educational programs, and resource coordination. Our environmental stewardship activities focus on litter prevention and community greening where they are most needed.
KDB Volunteers build a Pollinator Garden with Reinvestment Partners
Our Focus Areas
Litter prevention
Litter harms our communities as it devalues neighborhoods, invites crime, threatens wildlife and reduces water quality that impacts the health of our residents. Roadside litter makes its way into rivers and oceans, where it leaches chemicals and contributes to the growing plastic problem. Removing litter builds safer and more connected communities by protecting wildlife, improving water quality, and reducing flooding.
We organize community litter clean-ups on roadsides and waterways, and we focus on preventing litter at its source. This means coordinating with local businesses and engaging youth to be part of the solutions. We share why littering is harmful and find solutions that create positive impacts in our neighborhoods.
beautification & community greening
We are here to help communities and partners find the resources and tools they need to beautify neighborhoods. By planting trees and native plants, we reduce flooding, protect against erosion, support water quality, mitigate heat island effect, and build resilience to climate change. Bringing people together to plant plant trees and flowers builds a powerful bond and point of connection. We work with individuals, companies, and community groups to become stewards of the land around them and help them improve their communities.
recycling & waste reduction
We are strong advocates of reduce, reuse, & recycle! We bring the waste reduction mindset to all of our programs. We connect resources in Durham that close the loop to reduce or repurpose post-consumer waste. We offer educational events and tips about small changes that can reduce our collective environmental impact!
Outreach & Engagement
We recognize the necessity of building partnerships and including everyone in the conversation about how we can take care of our neighborhoods, parks and natural spaces. KDB has helped to bridge the equity gap among Durham’s environmental groups. We help residents connect with nature, protect the environment, and create a safe and healthy community.
Sharing volunteer opportunities is important to the success of our program. We want you to know how you can get involved to make Durham even better. We use outreach tools to share not only KDB events but also those of our many partners with similar goals. Through our projects, we’re developing place-based connections, friendships and community pride.
“Thanks for working with us. It was so simple to clean up with all the tools you provided. Looking forward to working with you all again!”
Keep durham beautiful annual report: CY 2022
Want to keep the good going?
Donate to Keep Durham Beautiful so we can gather resources that inspire more volunteers and start more projects in Durham!