On Sunday, July 5th, 11-year-old Zac Favors brought neighbors and volunteers together for the second annual Zac’s Big Clean Up, a grassroots initiative dedicated to keeping Chicago’s parks clean and encouraging others to care for their communities, according to WGN Tv.
Zac, who attends Xavier Warde School in Chicago’s West Loop, launched the initiative after recognizing the amount of litter left behind in neighborhood parks. Rather than waiting for someone else to solve the problem, he decided to take action, proving that age is no barrier to making a meaningful impact.
This year’s cleanup took place at Beverly Park on Chicago’s Far South Side, where volunteers spent the day collecting trash and helping restore the public space for families and residents to enjoy. Community members of all ages joined Zac’s efforts, demonstrating the power of volunteerism and neighborhood pride.
The event also received support from the Chicago Parks Foundation, which helped provide supplies and resources to ensure the cleanup was a success. Their partnership helped expand the reach of Zac’s growing community initiative while reinforcing the importance of protecting Chicago’s parks.
For Zac, Zac’s Big Clean Up is about more than picking up litter. It’s about inspiring others—especially young people—to take ownership of the neighborhoods they call home and understand that small actions can create lasting change.
As the initiative continues to grow, Zac hopes more Chicagoans will get involved and help keep parks clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone. His leadership serves as a reminder that one person’s determination can inspire an entire community to make a difference.
With another successful cleanup complete, Zac is already showing what it means to lead by example. Through Zac’s Big Clean Up, the young Chicagoan is helping build cleaner parks, stronger neighborhoods, and a culture of community service—one cleanup at a time.
