Adopt-a-Beach

Adopt-a-Beach volunteers are on the front lines of keeping litter, most of it plastic, out of the Great Lakes. And they collect valuable data on what they find for researchers to use worldwide.

Visit our Adopt-a-Beach page to see how you can get involved with Adopt-a-Beach. Read the latest news about Adopt-a-Beach cleanups below.

BLOG

August 19, 2022

To the Beach: Adopt-a-Beach Cleanup Road Trip Recap 

This summer Juliann Krupa, Volunteer Engagement Manager, and Oliva Reda, Volunteer Engagement Coordinator, set out to clean beaches and meet volunteers around the Great Lakes region. They cleaned up trash, […]

Blog

May 16, 2022

Adopt-a-Beach 2022: Off to a Strong Start

Spring may have only just decided to arrive, but Adopt-a-Beach volunteers are already turning out in force. Nearly 1,000 volunteers have collected over 5,000 pounds of litter. And the numbers […]

Blog

April 22, 2022

Learning Outside the Classroom: Volunteer Spotlight

Our Adopt-a-Beach program has grown tremendously over the past 30 years. That’s due to community members of all ages coming together to keep our beaches and shorelines clean. As we […]

Podcast

April 13, 2022

Juliann Krupa Spring Kick Off

Juliann Krupa is the Volunteer Engagement Manager at the Alliance for the Great Lakes. In this role, Juliann utilizes her passion for aquatic science and conservation to oversee over 15,000 Adopt-a-Beach […]

Blog

November 16, 2021

Over 200,000 Volunteers and 8,282,807 Pieces of Litter

2021 marked the 30th anniversary of the Alliance for the Great Lakes’ Adopt-a-Beach program. This year alone, volunteers hosted beach cleanups on all 5 Great Lakes and in all 8 […]

BLOG

September 23, 2021

30th Anniversary of September Adopt-a-Beach a Success! 

It’s hard to believe that 30 years ago in September, volunteers joined our first Adopt-a-Beach events on Lake Michigan. Today the program reaches across all 5 lakes and all 8 Great […]

Blog

November 19, 2020

Pandemic Can’t Stop Volunteers from Connecting, Cleaning Up

The pandemic slowed but couldn’t stop Great Lakers from volunteering this year. While taking precautions, volunteers throughout the Great Lakes region cleaned beaches and neighborhoods and helped spread the word […]

Blog

August 27, 2020

Trash picked up anywhere can help clean beaches everywhere

Trash picked up anywhere can help us have cleaner beaches and lakes everywhere. While the journey of a piece of trash can be as short as a few feet – […]

Blog

May 28, 2020

New Adopt-a-Beach Website Is Live!

We’re excited to share our new Adopt-a-Beach website with you! Visit adopt.greatlakes.org to check it out. The new website will make hosting Adopt-a-Beach events much easier. It also makes it super […]

BLOG

March 18, 2020

Adopt-a-Beach Cleanups Suspended Until Early May

At the Alliance for the Great Lakes, our volunteers’ safety is our top priority. We have been monitoring developments with the COVID-19 virus and have made the decision to suspend […]