Everybody makes trash—it’s something we all have in common—but not many people see trash as a way to bring people together.
That’s the vision of Trash for Peace, a Portland-based nonprofit that rescues landfill-bound materials and uses them for creative experiences that encourage strong communities.
Through upcycled art—like making a mural out of bottle caps or a constructing recycling bin out of plastic bottles—Trash for Peace is teaching sustainability in creative, fun ways. The organization brings its programs to affordable housing communities, libraries and other sites in Portland and Gresham, serving more than 500 youth each year along with their families.
Trash for Peace recently utilized a grant from the Gray Family Foundation to hire an environmental education coordinator.
“It provided us that capacity that allowed us to grow,” says Laura Tokarski, Founder and Director of Trash for Peace. The new position organizes a Sustainability Education Program for youth, as well as community nights and a master recycler class, which was collaboration with city of Portland and metro.
“The quality of programming has improved, and the number of students has gone up from 10 to 10-20 at each site,” Laura says.
The community nights draw residents of affordable housing sites to common areas to have food together and listen to a presentation about sustainability, such as green cleaning products or earthquake preparedness. Childcare and youth art activities are provided, and they strive for an intergenerational experience for the predominantly Latino, African American and African communities they serve.
“We’re a small team, and as we continue to grow, we strive to reflect the communities where we work,” Laura says.