The Richmond City Council on Tuesday recognized Green Team 94803, a volunteer-led initiative that has spent nearly a decade cleaning, beautifying, and uniting the El Sobrante Valley.
Councilmember Soheila Bana introduced the proclamation, commending the team for “adopting their community as their own” and transforming what she called a once “sleepy and often ignored” area into a model of local stewardship.
Founded in 2015 by the late Maurice Abraham, the Green Team began with small cleanup efforts in downtown El Sobrante and now spans neighborhoods across Richmond, unincorporated El Sobrante and San Pablo. After Abraham’s passing, Mickey Norris and Chris Conrad continued his mission with Ken Cheney and Holanne Tjo, expanding cleanups to residential streets, creeks and major corridors.
The team hosts monthly cleanup events that bring together residents from diverse backgrounds, fostering civic pride and connection. They also manage the website KeepElSobranteBeautiful.info, which shares volunteer opportunities and resources.
Their collaborations include SPAWNERS (San Pablo Watershed Neighbors Education and Restoration Society), SOS Richmond, the El Sobrante Chamber of Commerce, Supervisor John Gioia’s office and the El Sobrante Library. Together, they co-host major events such as Earth Day and Coastal Cleanup Day, engaging families and local businesses in shared environmental action.
In presenting the proclamation, the Council noted the team’s work aligns with Richmond’s goals of neighborhood beautification, safety, and community empowerment, encouraging similar collaborations across the 94806 zip code.
“We’re just a group of dedicated volunteers who care about our environment and want to keep our town clean,” Norris said. “Nobody else is going to do it, so it’s up to us.”
Dozens of volunteers were recognized at Tuesday’s meeting, including Monica Hazlewood, Dorcas Moulton, Allison Blakely, Bethsheba Lavoie, Ramon Viray, Teri Edlinger, Marsha Lowry, Maggie and John Kinstle, Anne-Marie Amaro, Richard Geyer, Ali Estrada, Simone and Alan Odom, Sharon Miller, Javier Perez and his sons, Rita Tidwell, Ruth Horton, and Sue Boudreau.
Green Team 94803 meets every third Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at the El Sobrante Library.
