City of Santa Barbara partners with SB PATH in new Cash for Trash program

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Jennifer Sauer is grateful for the support she has received as a resident at PATH Santa Barbara. 

"I was homeless in Ventura ... and my son brought me here to be safe," said Sauer.

Now she wants to give back.

"I’m picking up trash to help out … I volunteer a lot here … I try to give back as much as I can," said Sauer.

PATH Santa Barbara has partnered with the City of Santa Barbara to host its newest Cash for Trash program. 

“It’s a really exciting partnership for us where city of Santa Barbara comes out and we’re able to provide gift cards to people to go around the neighborhood and pick up trash," said regional director Elizabeth Adams of PATH Santa Barbara.

Cash for Trash welcomes unhoused neighbors like Sauer to help clean the neighborhood. 

"Helping pick up trash .. clean the neighborhood up … it shows we  appreciate our neighbors … majority of us here are trying to do something good for the neighborhood," said resident James Trapani of PATH Santa Barbara.

"It’s going fantastic. We’ve had a lot of interest and we love doing these events it’s really fun," said environmental specialist Hillary Allen of the City of Santa Barbara.

Organizers with SB PATH say community members have collected more than a dozen bags of trash in just a couple of hours. 

“I have a theory which is if you pick up litter you’re less likely to litter, so anyone out here continue to litter less in the future," said Allen.

“It means a lot to me I mean I really believe that without cleaning up the cities our kids … our  grandchildren and their kids aren’t gonna have what we did," said Sauer.

In addition to receiving a gift card, the PATH team believes this activity helps their neighbors feel connected to the neighborhood.

This program is meant to incentivize residents and unhoused neighbors to help beautify the community.

SB PATH said it had over 15 interim housing residents and unhoused neighbors participate to keep the neighborhood looking great. 

For more information on PATH Santa Barbara, visit: https://santabarbaraca.gov/government/priorities-policies/homelessness-initiatives/people-assisting-homeless-path.