Walking For Rochester

Rochester, NY — September 4, 2026 — Walking For Rochester has launched its 20x1,000 campaign, a community-wide fundraising effort leading into the organization's fifth annual fundraiser on October 22. The campaign has a goal of raising $20,000 by bringing together 1,000 people willing to contribute $20 each.

The campaign comes at a significant moment for the organization. Walking For Rochester recently surpassed 20,000 pounds of litter removed from Rochester since its founding in 2020, including more than 10,000 pounds removed in 2026 alone. The organization is now asking the community to help turn that milestone into the resources needed to continue its work.

Funds raised through the campaign and the October 22 fundraiser will directly support Walking For Rochester's ongoing efforts to eliminate litter from Rochester. With key contributions going to support the Litter Elimination System (LES), which includes the Walking For Rochester mobile app, and ArcGIS dashboard.

Walking For Rochester has developed a growing network of over 400 volunteers, residents, businesses and community partners working to remove litter while also creating a better understanding of where litter exists and how it can be addressed. Walking For Rochester's approach combines community action with technology and data. Through its LES, the organization collects data and analyzes litter behavior, while deploying resources to high need areas. More can be found on that here: (LES Article).

“Reaching 20,000 pounds removed is a major milestone for us, but it also shows us how much more work there is to do,” said Matt Apple, CEO and Founder of Walking For Rochester. “Every pound represents someone who took the time to pick it up. Our annual fundraiser gives us the resources to keep those people moving, expand our programs and continue building toward our ultimate goal of a litter-free Rochester, NY.”

1,000 people. $20 each. $20,000 for Rochester.