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City recognized for partnering with innovative GLITTER program to employ workers with lived experience of homelessness to clean up city streets. Mayor Wilson goes to Washington, D.C. to accept the award and $275,000 in new funding.
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The City of Portland has been awarded first place in the large cities category of the 2026 Healthy & Sustainable Communities Grant Program, a national initiative of the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Mayor Keith Wilson accepted the award this week in Washington, D.C., during the 94th winter meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
The $275,000 award brings new investment to support the City's Waste and Wellness Package, an initiative designed to strengthen environmental stewardship while creating meaningful employment opportunities for Portlanders with lived experience of homelessness or poverty.
Portland's winning project expands a peer‑led environmental workforce partnership with nonprofit Ground Score Association, called GLITTER. The initiative, housed under Portland Solutions, will add 20 workers with lived experience of homelessness or poverty to collect micro‑debris across the city, recover hard‑to‑recycle materials, and protect stormwater and green infrastructure systems. The program is projected to remove eight to 12 tons of small debris and divert 10 to 15 tons of reusable or hard‑to‑recycle materials from landfills and increase public engagement around hygiene and environmental stewardship.
"This initiative is about caring for our city and caring for each other," Wilson said. "By empowering Portlanders who are transitioning from our streets to lead this work, we're creating cleaner neighborhoods, stronger connections, and real opportunities for people to move forward."
Portland is one of nine cities nationwide recognized this year for innovative, community‑driven programs that advance public health, environmental sustainability, and local resilience.
Read the full news release from US Conference of Mayors.