On Thursday, April 20, 2023, about 40 volunteers from First Help Financial and WeLoveU came together to clean Boston’s Harambee Park. Located in Dorchester, a vibrant neighborhood in the heart of Boston, this proved to be a great area to volunteer. Typically, the local residents enjoy meeting at the park for various reasons such as sporting events, children’s playdates and more. Unfortunately, because the park is frequented, accumulated trash gives off an unsightly appearance.

Volunteers began cleaning the park at 11 a.m., fully equipped with gloves, bags, brooms, and rakes. Donned with bright smiles, they cleared away trash, including glass bottles, food containers, and plastic utensils, to provide a clean and pleasant environment for their neighbors. 

The First Help Financial volunteers recognized the positive impact that volunteer service has on the community. Diomedes Germosen, an employee at First Help Financial, said “I want to tell the WeLoveU volunteers your work is appreciated. These kids may not run up to you and give you a hug but believe me they understand that the work that we’re doing here is going to help them out.”

Chris McCaughan, another First Help Financial employee, had this to say as he reflected on the results of the volunteer service: “As soon as you walked on sight you would visibly notice trash. What it looks like now is night and day. The park looks ten times better than it was when we began.”

This was WeLoveU’s first 2023 cleanup in Boston. The volunteers are excited to resume participating in community service activities in the near future. As a result of the cleanup, the group collected 77 bags of yard waste and 13 bags of trash, weighing a total of 3,080 lbs. and 650 lbs. respectively.

The WeLoveU volunteers will continue working toward a clean and safe environment as it carries out the Clean WORLD Movement.