On Sunday, April 21, 2024, 160 volunteers cleaned South Kearny Bay in South Kearny, NJ, in honor of Earth Day. In total, the group collected more than 300 bags of trash, weighing about 7,800 pounds or 3.5 tons. Kearny Bay is at the intersection of the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers, resulting in a significant buildup of waste flowing from both rivers. 

Partnerships for Progress in Kearny Bay

The Intl. WeLoveU Foundation partnered with the Hackensack Riverkeeper for this opportunity, and the cleanup is one of three WeLoveU will host in April. Tyler Tierney, Hackensack Riverkeeper outreach coordinator, described the event as successful. He added, “This is the first time every volunteer was dead set on getting as much [garbage] as they can. Their work ethic was above and beyond. Everyone had a mission and stuck to that mission! This was a complete success in its entirety.”   

James Anzaldi, community liaison for U.S. State Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr., joined to present WeLoveU with a Special Letter of Congressional Recognition. “Volunteerism is one of the most important things for any community throughout the world, especially here in New Jersey,” he said. “I was so happy when the Congressman asked me to come and represent him and see things cleaned up.”  

Robert Gillies, the Borough of Ridgefield’s environmental commission chairman, expressed his delight with the work done. He said, “This is my second time working with WeLoveU; the first time was spectacular. I was impressed with [WeLoveU’s] organization and enthusiasm. When I saw this site and the amount of trash to collect, I automatically thought this was a job for the WeLoveU Foundation.”  

Towards a Cleaner Future: WeLoveU’s Commitment to Environmental Sustainability

To prepare a sustainable world for future generations, the International WeLoveU Foundation will continue partnering with organizations, governments, institutions, and civil societies to solve global challenges. The Kearny Bay cleanup is part of WeLoveU’s Clean WORLD Movement, a global effort to raise awareness of the importance of environmental protection in the face of climate change.