Fred Meyer Earth Month Kickoff Brings Community Cleanup To Downtown Portland (Photo) - 03/27/26

Portland, Ore., March 27, 2026 – Fred Meyer, in partnership with the Portland Trail Blazers and SOLVE, is hosting an Earth Month Kickoff event on Wednesday, April 8, from 10 am to 12 pm at Director Park in Downtown Portland.

The event brings the community together for a morning of giving back right in the heart of the city. Volunteers will help remove litter from surrounding streets and public spaces while connecting with neighbors and taking part in a shared effort to care for downtown Portland.

Blaze the Trail Cat and a live DJ, along with music, snacks, and giveaways, will bring energy to the park as the community comes together to kick off Earth Month.

“At Fred Meyer, caring for our communities goes beyond our stores - it’s about showing up for the places we all share,” says Tiffany Sanders, Fred Meyer Head of Public Affairs. “Our Director park cleanup day reflects the pride Fred Meyer associates have in their neighborhoods and our ongoing commitment to positively impacting our communities.”

Community members are encouraged to sign up in advance to take part in the cleanup. Volunteers of all experience levels are welcome, and all necessary supplies will be provided on site, making it easy to participate and contribute to a shared effort.

Event Details

What: Fred Meyer Earth Month Kickoff Cleanup
When: Wednesday, April 8, 10 am – 12 pm
Where: Director Park, Downtown Portland
Registration: Volunteers can sign up through SOLVE’s event calendar

This event kicks off SOLVE’s Earth Month celebrations, taking place throughout April as part of SOLVE’s annual Spring Cleanup, a region-wide effort bringing communities together for litter cleanup and habitat restoration across Oregon and Southwest Washington. For more information visit solve.org/oregon-spring.

About SOLVE

SOLVE brings communities together to take care of our environment and enhance our waterways. Since 1969, the organization has grown from a small, grassroots initiative to a national model of volunteer action. Today, SOLVE mobilizes and trains thousands of volunteers of all ages across Oregon, and SW Washington, to clean and restore our neighborhoods and natural areas, while empowering a community of environmental stewards for our state. Visit solve.org for more information or follow SOLVEPNW on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn.

About Fred Meyer

Fred Meyer Stores, based in Portland, Ore., offers one-stop shopping at its 128 multi-department stores in four western states. More than 39,000 Fred Meyer associates help customers fill their food, apparel, and general merchandise needs in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Stores range in size from 65,000 to 200,000 square feet and carry more than 250,000 products under one roof. Additionally, Fred Meyer contributes $5 million to communities across the Northwest each year through grants from the Fred Meyer Foundation as well as product donations, cash donations and sponsorships. Fred Meyer also donates 6 million pounds of food to local food banks each year via the Food Rescue Program. Fred Meyer Stores is a division of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR). For more information, please visit our web site at www.fredmeyer.com.

Registration Opens For SOLVE’s Month-Long Spring Cleanup (Photo) - 02/27/26

Portland, Ore., February 27, 2026 – Registration is now open for the annual Oregon Spring Cleanup, in partnership with Portland General Electric. This year, SOLVE is expanding its largest spring volunteer initiative to span the entire month of April, turning Earth Month into coordinated action across Oregon and Southwest Washington.

The Oregon Spring Cleanup is SOLVE’s largest spring volunteer initiative, bringing together individuals, families, schools, businesses, and community groups to care for beaches, neighborhoods, parks, natural areas, and waterways. Projects include litter cleanups and habitat restoration efforts such as native plantings, invasive species removal, and mulching. In April 2025, the initiative supported 214 projects, engaging nearly 4,500 volunteers who removed 26,077 pounds of trash and cleared more than 22 acres of invasive species across Oregon and Southwest Washington.

With 65 events already open for registration, volunteers can sign up for projects taking place throughout April. SOLVE is aiming for 200+ projects across the region and continues to recruit additional event leaders to broaden statewide engagement. Expanding the initiative to a full month creates greater access and enables more communities to take part in coordinated Earth Month action.

“Earth Month is a powerful reminder that local action drives meaningful environmental impact,” said Kregg Arntson, Director of Community Impact at Portland General Electric. “Through our partnership with SOLVE, PGE deepens its commitment to helping Oregon’s vibrant communities become climate resilient communities.”  

As global attention turns toward environmental awareness in April, the Oregon Spring Cleanup provides a way to translate that momentum into tangible results. Each project contributes to protecting natural spaces, improving neighborhood livability, and preventing litter from entering rivers and the ocean ahead of peak recreation season.

SOLVE is actively seeking additional event leaders to host cleanup or restoration projects in April. Whether returning hosts or first-time leaders, participants receive planning support, free supplies, disposal assistance, and volunteer recruitment tools. Hosting a project can be as simple as identifying a site in need and completing the new leader orientation at volunteer.solve.org/orientation.

How to Get Involved

• Volunteer: Browse the event calendar and register yourself or a group at volunteer.solve.org/oregon-spring
• Lead your own project: SOLVE provides all the necessary resources, including supplies and disposal funds, to make hosting a project easy for you.
• Encourage participation: Invite schools, workplaces, and community groups to take part in Earth Month action

The Oregon Spring Cleanup 2026 is made possible through the partnership with Portland General Electric and the generous support of Clean Water Services, Fred Meyer, Metro, Oregon State Park & Recreation, The Standard, AAA Oregon/Idaho, Intel, Kaiser Permanente, KOIN6, LAM Research, Lithia & Driveway, National Parks Recreation & Parks Association, and PepsiCo.

For more information or to register, visit solve.org/oregon-spring

About SOLVE 

SOLVE brings communities together to take care of our environment and enhance our waterways. Since 1969, the organization has grown from a small, grassroots initiative to a national model of volunteer action. Today, SOLVE mobilizes and trains thousands of volunteers of all ages across Oregon, and SW Washington, to clean and restore our neighborhoods and natural areas, while empowering a community of environmental stewards for our state. Visit solve.org for more information or follow SOLVEPNW on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn.