DETROIT – He’s made it his mission ever since he was a kid, and now he wants to help teach the next generation of Detroiters to keep the city beautiful.
Seen in the video player above is tons of trash. It is an example of why Detroiter Joseph Hadad has been working to clean up the streets and has been doing so for decades.
“You know I’ve just always done it,” said Hadad. “(Even when) I’m kind of in a rut, so I just keep doing.”
Hadad has been keeping Detroit beautiful since 1966.
“It was all the kids from school,” Hadad said. “Black, white, Chinese, Korean, everybody. It didn’t matter. It’s our city. Clean it up. We swept the street, picked up the trash inside; it’s like a spring cleaning type thing.”
Hadad has since adopted the non-profit organization’s mindset, making sure much of his block doesn’t become an eyesore.
“The next-door house is vacant,” Hadad said. “Mow that lawn. Clean it up. If you do it and the neighbors do, then the block is doing it. The whole street is clean. Then the whole city will be clean.”
Hadad just wishes the next up-and-coming generation develops a sense of hometown pride as he does.
“You got to take your kids out and clean in front of the house,” Hadad said. “Let them see you doing it. Let them help you do it.”
Every week Hadad collects loads of garbage from the roadways where drivers have thrown out their trash. Now he’s hoping others will step up and do their part to keep the streets clean.
“Just stop,” Hadad said. “It’s too easy to put it in a bag. Put it in your car and put it in the trash when you get home. There’s enough cans in the street. People leave them out. Stop and put it in their trash can.”
The non-profit “Keep Detroit Beautiful” has been around since 1955, and they’ve been working with the city to help make it a cleaner place.