About 90 FedEx and NCA volunteers cleaned up seven blocks in East Allegheny on Sept. 17, in addition to planting a new garden and tree and fencing in a park on Spring Garden Avenue. 

In partnership with United Way, FedEx picks local organizations to volunteer with each fall during FedEx Cares Week, said NCA Executive Director Carol Washington. FedEx worked with the NCA last year as well, she said.

“It was a no-brainer for them to choose us again because they fell in love with our mission,” she said. “Our mission … is to make sure kids and families are safe.”

Washington said the park on Spring Garden Avenue had not been maintained and needed to be cleaned and weeded. The new garden on Tripoli Street is for the community to enjoy and beautifies the street, which has recently had buildings demolished, she said.

The focus area between East Ohio Street and Spring Garden was strewn with trash, and volunteers filled about 200 garbage bags with litter, debris and weeds, said community volunteer Jeffrey Dzamko, who lives in Spring Garden and owns Allegheny Consulting Group, Inc.

Dzamko expressed annoyance at the lack of volunteers from the community, some of who watched the FedEx employees work from the comfort of their porches all afternoon.

Erin Truxal, a FedEx spokesperson, said that although few community members came out to volunteer, FedEx employees were happy to help.

Washington said she enjoyed working with the FedEx volunteers and hopes the company will be able to work with the NCA again next year.