Chicago Beach CleanUp
Go Chicago Beach CleanUp (CBCU)! This impressive 501(c)(3) non-profit organization was co-founded in 2019 by high school students Lauren Louise “Lou” Ellstrand and Sam Stubbs. Both attended different high schools in the Arlington Heights, Illinois area but their paths serendipitously crossed through mutual friends.
They soon discovered they shared a love of Chicago beaches and environmental service. So on beach outings, Lou, Sam, and their friends would enjoy the beach but also clean up areas by picking up trash and other debris littering the Lake Michigan shoreline. And a grassroots movement was born!
What CBCU does is organize volunteer cleanup events at Chicago-area beaches providing both the expertise and materials at no cost to volunteers. This makes hosting and sponsoring an event super easy for companies and groups large and small alike.
CBCU attracted attention from big companies early on and at the age of 17 while in high school, Lou organized a beach cleanup for the athletic company, Under Armour. (With her parents cheering her on, of course!)
And now five years later, CBCU is going full steam ahead! Lou and Sam are also recent college graduates (Lou majored in supply chain management and sustainability and Sam majored in human and organizational development with a focus on ​community leadership).
To date, CBCU has hosted over 75 cleanups and collected an amazing 3,000 pounds of trash. Their impressive corporate event partners include Google, Amazon, CHANEL, and Toyota, while they also love hosting community organizations like the Girl Scouts.
They also host private volunteer events that are a great way to help local organizations reach their environmental service goals and boost their workplace culture.
As part of the Clean Earth Challenge (January 2024 to date), CBCU collected and submitted over 1,300 pounds of trash to the count. Amazing!
This summer, CBCU started a new six-week leadership development program and hired two paid college interns. The goal is to provide young adults interested in environmental service with an opportunity to lead large volunteer groups, develop professional skills like project management, and make an impact in their hometown.
On the horizon? Lou and Sam will continue to lead CBCU and are looking to attract investment to help grow the organization and continue to make an environmental impact. Looks like the future is very bright for CBCU and these two recent college graduates.
A big thanks to CBCU and all you do to help the environment and make an impact on Chicago-area beaches. What an amazing team!