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Atlanta plans massive downtown cleanup before World Cup
The Free World Foundation is hosting a massive downtown Atlanta cleanup this Saturday. Volunteers will gather at 9 a.m. at the Fulton County Courthouse steps before fanning out across a three-mile radius. Local groups and businesses have partnered to beautify areas with heavy foot traffic ahead of the FIFA World Cup crowds.
ATLANTA - Excitement is building across Atlanta as the city counts down to the FIFA World Cup. With Atlanta preparing to take center stage on the international scene, one local nonprofit is stepping up to help spruce up the city before the crowds arrive.
Sprucing up for the world stage
What we know:
Established in 2016, the Free World Foundation is an Atlanta-based nonprofit dedicated to creating pathways for underserved communities through education, creative workforce development, and wellness.
Now, the organization is focusing its efforts on ensuring the city is presentable before international guests arrive. The scheduled three-mile cleanup radius covers areas heavily traveled by residents, businesses, and incoming tourists.
Targeting high-traffic corridors
What they're saying:
The push to clean up the downtown corridor has been in the works for months. Organizers have partnered with local businesses and groups to target the streets that see the most trash and pedestrian traffic.
"So, Pryor Street, we're going to do Broad Street," organization founder ZaRio said. "I'm going to be in front of some businesses. We've talked with them as well. They're in partnership with us."
The goal is to bring the community together to spark neighborhood pride before the matches begin.
"It's a great way to bring together organizations and different groups to come together for a common cause that we all can believe in, like making sure that we're clean and decent," ZaRio added.
How to get involved
What you can do:
Organizers say hundreds of volunteers, local groups, and businesses have already signed up to pitch in, and the community response has been overwhelmingly supportive.
"We've been getting great response, great reaction," ZaRio said.
Volunteers planning to participate will gather at 9:00 a.m. Saturday on the steps of the Fulton County Courthouse on Pryor Street before fanning out across the downtown area.
Those interested in volunteering can sign up online by visiting FreeWorldFoundation.org or by searching for the event on Eventbrite.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Free World Foundation, who detailed the event schedule and corridors in an official announcement, as well as organization founder ZaRio, who explained the business partnerships and community goals in local statements.