
Before Oddo took office in 2014, the Clean Team was on a two day a week schedule. Oddo immediately increased it to three days per week. With the participation of the Atlas Foundation it will now operate five days per week, a 150 percent increase during this BP’s tenure. From Tuesdays to Fridays, those performing community services from the organization CASES will continue to assist with the Clean Team. Starting July 6, cleanup activities on Mondays and Fridays will be performed by participants in the Cops and Kids Program, run by legendary boxing trainer and philanthropist Teddy Atlas.
“These young guys will be out there and be part of the positive change that is happening on Staten Island,” noted Oddo.
Atlas was only too happy to partner with the Borough President – his friend – and said it just makes sense for the organization to join forces with the Clean Team. “We teach these kids much more than hooks and jabs,” noted Atlas, who runs three gyms for kids to give them positive role models and to help them stay out of trouble. “We teach them to care and have respect for themselves, to care about your community.”
The new additions to the team will be led by Marcus Brown, a Golden Glove champion and alumnus of the Atlas Cops and Kids Program. He joins the Borough Hall staff leader, Larry Collins, to make the Clean Team bigger and better and cover more ground.