It's our 5th birthday - thanks to you!

It was February of 2020, I was standing in my pantry holding my daughter's used toothbrush.

I knew it didn't belong in Chicago's recycling program. And as I looked at the trash can, I realized: nearly every plastic toothbrush ever made still exists on this planet.

So I asked myself — how do I dispose of this responsibly? I found TerraCycle, but it required a five-pound minimum just to participate. So I emailed 20 neighbors: "Hey — bring me your toothbrushes." And they did.

As that box filled up, I began researching destinations for other household items and discovered a frustrating truth: doing the "right" thing takes a lot of time and effort — researching, collecting, shipping, driving to multiple locations. The problem isn't that people don't care. It's that our systems make it too difficult to act on that care.

So I asked another question: What if we made it easier?

A year later, on April 17, 2021, we held our first Reuse & Recycling Pop-Up.

And thanks to the support of generous supporters like you, that answer became Reduce Waste Chicago.

We just turned five.

And we have 50 wishes.

Yes, we want to reach every ward in Chicago — we also want to show up in them consistently, year after year, until every Chicagoan has access and support to reduce waste.

We're more than just a collection organization. We educate and inspire. We advocate for environmental policies. We fill gaps in existing systems and build toward our long-term goal of lasting change so waste reduction is easier for everyone.

In five years, we've diverted 85,000+ pounds of material from Chicago's landfills. We've brought our programs to 33 of the city's 50 wards. And more than 300 volunteers have shown up to make it all happen. This past winter, our holiday lights recycling program reached 14,801 pounds of string lights diverted from the landfill — expanding to 26 wards across the city.

Every event we run, every ward we deepen our presence in, every question we answer makes it easier for everyone to reduce waste.

At an event in Portage Park earlier this month, a man showed up with a box full of items — including some we don't accept, like batteries and lightbulbs. A bit panicked, I asked if he'd seen somewhere that we take those.

He said: "No… I was just hoping you did so I don't have to drive all over the place."

That moment said everything. The need is there. People want to do the right thing. We just have to meet them where they are — and keep showing up.

We're expanding our reach this summer, with outreach events across the city and full collections in Irving Park and Beverly — and we need to be ready for it.

This campaign runs through midnight on May 1. Our goal is $5,000 to help us strengthen our presence in the wards we already serve, expand our programming, and grow our capacity through a newly forming associate board.

Every gift helps make it possible.

It started with a toothbrush and 20 neighbors.

Today, we have five candles and 50 wishes. And we're asking you to help us make them come true.

Can't give right now? Share this page. Tell someone about us. Every share reaches a neighbor who might be standing in their pantry, wondering the same thing we all did once.

Thank you for being part of this.

— Sherry & the Reduce Waste Chicago team

Our birthday: Five candles. 50 wishes.

Let's make them happen.