G.L.I.T.T.E.R. helps clean Portland and support the houseless community

(FEBRUARY 6, 2025) A special program in Portland is helping to keep the city clean while also giving work to people who are houseless or have recently been houseless. The program is called G.L.I.T.T.E.R. Those letters stand for Ground Score Leading Inclusively Together Through Environmental Recovery.

What Does G.L.I.T.T.E.R. Do?

G.L.I.T.T.E.R. teams go to houseless camps in different parts of Portland. They collect trash and recyclables. Workers collect waste using bikes, e-bikes, and trucks. They make sure the camps are cleaner and safer. 

The program also tries to recycle materials like metal, batteries, and textiles (fabric materials). Clothes that can be reused go to another program called Hygiene4All. There they they are washed and given to people who need them. Clothes that cannot be reused are made into cleaning rags.  

Helping People Find Stability

G.L.I.T.T.E.R. is more than just a trash collection service. It also provides jobs. People who work in the program earn $20 per hour. They do not need an ID, but they do need to fill out a tax form if they make more than $600 per year. Workers get tools like gloves, trash grabbers, and wagons to help with their job. The program also provides training. They learn CPR and first-aid. The training helps workers find other job opportunities in the future.  

Since G.L.I.T.T.E.R. started in 2021, it has hired 43 people from the community. More than 70% of those workers have found housing after joining the program.  

A Positive Impact on the Community

In 2023, G.L.I.T.T.E.R. workers collected almost 860,000 pounds of trash from Portland’s streets and camps. In 2024, the program started testing a new waste collection system that does not use plastic bags. This change could help reduce plastic waste and pollution in the city.  

G.L.I.T.T.E.R. is based on the idea that cleaning up waste is an important service and a human right. A 2022 report says that hiring people with experience in homelessness for waste collection helps improve the system and saves the city money.  

For people who want to join the program, work shifts are available on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 624 NW Couch Street in Portland. Workers are chosen randomly for shifts.  There are no guarantees.  

G.L.I.T.T.E.R. is making a big difference in both keeping Portland clean and helping people rebuild their lives. It is a program from an organization called Ground Score. Watch this video to learn more about this organization and the G.L.I.T.T.E.R. program: