Keon's Litter Pick Up Team “Sweeps” through Downtown Peekskill

A street team sweeps through downtown Peekskill three times a week, picking up discarded candy wrappers, coffee cups and other pedestrian litter.

Thanks to a $20,000 grant from local energy-from-waste business Wheelabrator Westchester and contributions from the City of Peekskill and the Peekskill Business Improvement District, the program is funded through next summer.

The program was initiated by the Peekskill BID and the Keon Center, and consists of three to four adult workers and a staff supervisor. Keon is a Peekskill-based non-profit agency that serves the developmentally disabled with programs designed to promote self-sufficiency, skill enhancement and inclusion.

“We wanted to improve the overall experience for shoppers, visitors, tourists. Street litter was identified as an issue that needed to be addressed in our downtown. Working with the Keon Center is a win-win for everyone—we get cleaner streets, the Keon team gets a valuable work opportunity,” said Bill Powers, Executive Director of the Peekskill BID.

“Wheelabrator Westchester is committed to serving as an actively engaged community partner in Westchester County and the Peekskill community,” said Robert McNamara, Wheelabrator’s New York area market manager. “We believe our social responsibility begins with the communities in which our customers and employees live and work. We are proud to partner with the City of Peekskill, the Peekskill BID and the Keon Center on an initiative that supports more sustainable waste management in Peekskill, promotes environmental stewardship and provides meaningful employment to an enthusiastic team from Keon.”

“We get a great community response from the business owners and residents when they see our street team coming down the block. It is a rewarding experience because our clients are integrated into the community in a meaningful and highly visible way. We want to thank all of our partners, Wheelabrator Westchester, the BID and the City of Peekskill for bringing the program to life. We are hopeful other municipalities will give us similar opportunities,” said Joseph Conti, Employment Developer for the Keon Center.

Plans call for the street sweepers to work through the winter, weather permitting.

About Wheelabrator Technologies

Wheelabrator Technologies is the second largest U.S. energy-from-waste business, and is an industry leader in the conversion of everyday residential and business waste into clean energy. Wheelabrator has a platform of 23 power-producing assets across the U.S. and U.K.—19 energy-from-waste facilities (three under construction), four independent power plants as well as four ash monofills and three transfer stations. Wheelabrator currently has an annual waste processing capacity of over 7.5 million tons, and a total combined electric generating capacity of 853 megawatts—enough energy to power more than 805,000 homes. Wheelabrator also recovers metals for recycling into commercial products. The company’s vision To develop, deliver and realize the potential of clean energy speaks to Wheelabrator’s ongoing commitment to the development of clean energy solutions for its customers and local communities. Wheelabrator is owned by Energy Capital Partners, an energy infrastructure-focused private equity firm. For more on Energy Capital Partners, please visit www.ecpartners.com. For more on Wheelabrator, please visit www.wtienergy.com.

Wheelabrator Westchester diverts local residential waste from landfills by converting 691,000 tons of waste into 63 megawatts of local, low-carbon energy to power 67,000 nearby homes and recovers metals from the waste stream for recycling.

About the Keon Center: Keon Center is a non-profit agency that has served the developmentally disabled since its incorporation in 1954. Keon has developed many programs over the years to meet the changing needs of its consumers and is committed to developing services that are driven towards future growth. The dedicated staff strives to bring clients to the highest level of independence that can be achieved. Visit: www.keoncenter.org.

About the Peekskill Business Improvement District: The BID covers most of the downtown area and is funded through a small property tax. A volunteer board of directors made up of property owners, commercial tenants and City of Peekskill appointees manages the policies of the BID with a part time executive director. The BID focuses its efforts on marketing and promotions, beautification projects, holiday promotions, image enhancement initiatives, and business advocacy. For more information, email peekskillbid1@gmail.com.