For over 50 years, Keep Texas Beautiful has been committed to making Texas communities better places to live, work and play.
Overview
Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB) is a network of dedicated Texans working together to make our state the best place to live, work and play. We equip local partners and affiliates with the tools they need to build vibrant, engaged communities. Founded in 1967, Keep Texas Beautiful has more than 50 years of experience deploying resources for local clean-up, recycling, and youth engagement efforts. Everything we do is focused on mobilizing volunteers to take action across the state. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, we lead nearly 300 affiliates and reach 19 million Texans annually. We are proudly based in Austin, Texas. KTB is also a certified state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful.
Our Mission
To inspire and empower Texans to keep our communities clean and beautiful.
Our Vision
To make Texas the cleanest, most beautiful state in the nation.
Core Values
- We promote clean and beautiful communities by keeping them litter-free and preserving our natural environment.
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2. Education is at the core of our work and we provide tools and resources to the general public, affiliates and volunteers to strengthen their capacity.
3. We believe that the diversity of the communities in our network is a fundamental strength. We promote an environment where all individuals, including our staff and volunteers, feel a sense of belonging to help create and sustain clean and beautiful communities around Texas.
4. Throughout our work, we support what makes our communities unique, including race, ethnicity, culture, socio-economic background, gender, sexual orientation, age, and physical ability. We commit to aligning our culture and operations to be a beacon of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
History
History
Our history dates back to 1967, when Texas was preparing for the 1968 HemisFair in San Antonio and more than 16 million tourists were expected to descend upon the state.
A variety of representatives from diverse entities, including the State Department of Highways and Public Transportation, decided that Texas cities and highways should be given a “facelift” so visitors would see a clean, beautiful state. To accomplish this goal, the group created a non-profit educational corporation, supported totally by membership dues, known as the Beautify Texas Council.
Realizing the importance of what had been accomplished via local volunteers and their love of their communities, the Beautify Texas Council continued to support communities in their beautification efforts even after HemisFair. By 1968, the Council had supplied almost every Texas town with information on how to improve their city’s appearance. In response to enthusiastic efforts from dedicated volunteers across the state, the Council eventually increased its focus to highway beautification, environmental education and public awareness, procurement and distribution of funding and support to local volunteers, and creating and maintaining valuable relationships with state officials and agencies.
In 1985, the Beautify Texas Council officially became Keep Texas Beautiful, Inc., and a state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful. Since that time, we have won top honors as an outstanding KAB state affiliate and have grown by creating an extensive affiliate program. Keep Texas Beautiful now has the largest environmental and community improvement network in the state.
Meet Our Team
Karla's background is in human-environment interaction and holds a BS in Environmental Studies and Geographic Resources from Texas State University. When not at work, she can be found volunteering, gardening, or working on a graphic design project.
Meet Our Board Members
for the City of Watauga, TX and resides in Watauga.
Emeritus Directors
Emeritus Directors In Memoriam
- Ebby Halliday Acers
Dallas - Ed Davis
San Antonio - Ruthe Jackson
Grand Prairie - Steve Perry
Austin - Stan Weik
San Saba
2022 Impact
Great American Cleanup & Fall Sweep
The data in this following infographic includes Great American Cleanup (March 1-May 31) and Fall Sweep (Sept 11-Nov 20) cleanup activities reported in 2022.