Keep Martin Beautiful is proud to announce that it has received a $10,000 Think Green grant from national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful, Inc. as part of a nationwide effort sponsored by Waste Management that encourages local solutions that improve community environments.

In the competition, more than 580 local affiliates of Keep America Beautiful (KAB) were challenged to present proposals for ambitious projects representing a wide array of stewardship, community outreach and educational projects. Keep Martin Beautiful is one of the 15 winners nationwide, chosen from a field of 42 entries in the 2009 program.

The winning proposal outlined a community improvement program in Banner Lake, a community located in Hobe Sound. The program includes a mural painting at the Banner Lake Community Building; a recycling education, household hazardous waste collection and electronics recycling event; a community cleanup; and celebration event at the nearby the Banner Lake Park.

The project is a natural partnership for Waste Management of Martin County, which is headquartered in Hobe Sound, in close proximity to the Banner Lake community. "Waste Management has a special stake in helping make the community of Banner Lake a better place to work and live," said Jeff Sabin, Government Affairs Director at Waste Management. "The program also reinforces Waste Management's focus on sustainability, and being good neighbors to each other and the environment."

In the year 2000, the Martin County Board of County Commissioners created the Hobe Sound Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) to help revitalize areas in the community. In 2009, Habitat for Humanity announced plans to build several habitat homes in the community of Banner Lake in an effort to provide simple, decent, affordable houses to those who lack adequate shelter. "We felt this community effort fit in line with Keep Martin Beautiful's mission to promote and encourage beautification and revitalization throughout the county," KMB President Rhonda Irons said.

The goal of the community improvement program is to repel the elements of blight and decay, create civic pride in residents, attract new residents and help sustain economies. Incorporating visual beauty into public spaces has proven to be an effective method for raising property values, reducing crime, enhancing the local economy, and improving public health. The mural painting, cleanup event and celebration will result in a cleaner, greener, more beautiful Banner Lake!

"Keep Martin Beautiful should be proud, as our national organization is proud, for their initiative in developing this winning proposal," said Keep America Beautiful president and CEO Matthew M. McKenna. "Their work at the grassroots level exemplifies the mission of our national organization by engaging individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments. We look forward to seeing this project come to fruition through the generosity of Waste Management's grant."

The wide ranges of winning programs are creative and reflect the diverse interests and needs of the communities involved. These programs encourage recycling and reuse, provide hands-on environmental education, convey the importance of stewardship to the public through a variety of means such as public service announcements, videos and booklets, and enhance neighborhoods through community beautifications. Support of these initiatives marks Waste Management's continuing commitment to local community quality of life and to also building awareness about sustainable resources for effective management of waste.

Waste Management also partners with KAB on different programs, which include additional community beautification grants (target/showcase) and as a National Sponsor for Keep America Beautiful's Great American Cleanup, the nation's largest community improvement program.

About Keep Martin Beautiful
Keep Martin Beautiful is a 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer-based, community action organization based in Martin County, Florida. Our mission is to provide sustainable solutions for volunteers to make a direct impact in their communities through their own individual actions. These efforts to reduce waste through public/private partnerships and strategic alliances motivate and encourage individuals and communities to clean up, beautify and improve their environment, while creating a safer and more livable Martin County. For more information, visit www.keepmartinbeautiful.org or call 781-1222.

About Waste Management
Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Out subsidiaries provide collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. We are also a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. Our customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more visit www.wm.com or www.thinkgreen.com.

About Keep America Beautiful, Inc.
Keep America Beautiful, Inc., established in 1953, is the nation's largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. This national nonprofit forms public-private partnerships and programs that engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments. For additional information, visit www.kab.org.