Our history

CLEAN: Clean Land Environments And Neighborhoods!

One CLEAN Coast (OCC)--previously DBA One CLEAN Gulfport--formed as a coalition of concerned citizens in June of 2022. Voices of longtime residents and newcomers to Gulfport expressed concerns regarding community litter, illegal dumping, and property blight throughout the community. At this first meeting the following questions were posed: 

“Is it time to re-focus efforts? What could we as a community do additionally or differently that might assist and help coordinate community efforts? What could OCC do to assist with community change efforts? 

First, we decided to use long-term strategies that use an evidence-based prevention model. Second, members saw the need to recruit a standing volunteer group—the CLEAN Coast Corps—to meet needs in an ongoing fashion. Because litter, illegal and curbside dumping, and property blight have reached a critical stage in some neighborhoods, we realized that no city could restore these neighborhoods on their own. From our inception, OCC was firm in our beliefs that to complain at city leaders and offer no solutions would do little to solve the problem. Rather, OCC offered to partner with the City of Gulfport and other community groups by first proposing solutions and offering ideas, advocating for changes, and providing support for change efforts through prevention education. OCC members believe that the city cannot tackle the problem by itself. The community must get involved, block by block, if necessary. 

With a strategic plan and a clear vision of ways in which we could provide prevention change strategies, our core founding members created a board of directors and took the necessary steps to become a non-profit. Incorporating as a 501c3, we received our IRS Letter of Determination in October of 2022. A short time later we began meeting with the City of Gulfport to explore next steps. Our efforts initially began in Gulfport, and now as OCC we are taking our prevention message to the entire coast. 

Please join us in creating One CLEAN Coast. 

Mississippi communities deserve nothing less.