About us
Community Powered, Trash Devoured!
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What We Are:
The Pickup Posse is an all-volunteer group focused on picking up litter from roads and woods.
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Our Mission:
It’s simple but powerful: make our neighborhoods more beautiful, protect the environment, build community, and create meaningful, energizing experiences for everyone who joins us. Whether you’re passionate about nature, eager to meet new people, or just looking for a productive way to spend a morning, you’ll find purpose and joy here. When you join us, you’re not just picking up litter—you’re helping to spread optimism, strengthen local connections, and shape a cleaner, kinder world. Come be part of something uplifting. Your presence truly makes a difference.
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Things To Know:
- Most pickup events are held on weekend mornings.
- We provide all needed equipment.
- Sturdy shoes and clothing are highly recommended.
- Most events have a minimum age–each event will specify.
- Some events will provide snacks & drinks.
- First timers must sign a waiver at the site.
- Afterwards we often go to a restaurant or food court or such for a social gathering.
- Although there are occasional exceptions, The Pickup Posse focuses primarily on sites in East, Central, and South Raleigh. If Wake Forest and North Raleigh are more convenient, please check out our partner group, "Pick o' The Litter"
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Come Help Us Grow:
We welcome your ideas for improvements, for other events (pickup or social), and for suggested locations to tackle. We also encourage any interest in becoming an event leader.
Upcoming events
15
Repurpose, Reuse & Recycle in Midtown Raleigh
Location not specified yetJoin this inaugural event to rescue abandoned items from a former homeless encampment for repurpose, reuse and recycle in collaboration with the Raleigh PD, ACORNS, and the property owner. The event photo displays some of the clothing Gus collected and donated recently from another abandoned site.
Social workers and law enforcement recently offered homeless inhabitants resources as they vacated this parcel of land. Now we will go in to gather items that can be salvaged, brush & shake them off, organize and offer them back to the community. This is a large 10 acre site with varied terrain; we need LOTS of help so please sign up and recruit friends, family & neighbors. We don't expect to tackle it all in two hours, but we can make a dramatic difference and then assess next steps to continue at this location or other locations where we can partner to perform similar service. We are not collecting landfill bound litter at this event - that will be another round of work, likely for a paid contractor to be hired by the property owner.
Newcomers are encouraged. Since this site will have sharps and other hazardous material, ninimum age is 15. youth 15-17 must be accompanied by a parent.
We provide all supplies: wheelbarrows, sleds & tarps to haul items out; grabbers, bags, and gloves (but prefer you use your own work gloves if you have some). Wear sturdy shoes, and dress in layers for this crazy Carolina weather.
Snacks and drinks will be provided by Heather as usual, maybe lunch if she can get it organized and/or engage a sponsor to thank us for our extensive efforts.
Each volunteer (adult and child) must complete,our All Future Events Waiver. If you have already done so for a previous event, then you don't need to do so again unless your contact information changed.
The exact meeting point in Midtown Raleigh and my phone number will be shared with attendees on Thursday, February 5.
8 attendees
Facing the Basin
Behind New Bern Ave walmart, corporation parkway,, raleigh, NC, USJoin us for a high‑impact cleanup! We’re rolling up our sleeves to clear litter near the Walmart on New Bern Ave. This cleanup will consist of both roads and one or two stormwater settlement basins. There's plenty of trash to go around. As always, we provide all supplies. Just bring sturdy clothes, solid shoes, and your best positive energy. Newcomers are most welcome.
If you have not yet signed our group's waiver this year, please do so at
waiverSome info about settlement basins:
They are designed to catch the stormwater from large paved areas (housing developments, shopping malls, etc...). They prevent water from just flowing into creeks and rivers, allowing the water to drain into the water table, like it would have done if the area was still undeveloped.They're a great thing. But, in addition to catching water, they also catch litter swept up by the water. And they contain overflow pipes which drain into creeks when the basin gets full, as might happen during a rare event like hurricane generated rains. When that happens, the basin's trash, collected over years, floats into creeks. So by cleaning these basins we are protecting the oceans.
8 attendees
Litter Pickup with Gus (New Bern Ave)
New Bern Ave AT I-440, 3601 New Bern Ave ,, raleigh, NC, USJoin us as we pick up litter near the intersection of New Bern Ave and Highway I-440
Pickup tools, bags, and reflective safety vests are provided. A small selection of gloves is available, but to ensure a good fit, it's best to bring your own.
We start at 9, so please arrive by 8:55 for instructions and materials distribution. As with all events, please check meetup on the day of the event to see if there have been any changes or a cancellation.
Minimum age is 16; newcomers are encouraged. Each volunteer (adult and youth) should complete this waiver, one time only, unless your contact information changes.
2 attendees
The Great Roadside Rescue
Hammond road stub, near 211 hammond center drive,, raleigh, NC, USGet ready, team — this one’s a big cleanup mission and we’re diving in together. This road is seriously trashed, and it’s going to take a big, mighty crew to conquer it.
We’ve got all the gear you’ll need, but if you want a perfect glove fit, feel free to bring your own.
New to our cleanups? Even better. Jump in, meet great people, and help us turn this mess into a victory. Let’s make this road shine again!
Each volunteer (adult and child) should complete, one time only, our All Future Events Waiver, until/unless your contact information changes.
Precise location/parking instructions will be provided a few days before the event.
Minimum age: 16
12 attendees
Past events
21
