ToolBank waiving borrowing fees in April for 'Richmond Shines' cleanup initiative

Tools await rentals at the Richmond ToolBank. (Sarah Vogelsong/The Richmonder)

Ahead of the annual "Clean the Bay Day," the Richmond ToolBank is offering free tools all month for eligible community projects.

To qualify for waived tool lending fees, projects must be volunteer-led, open to the public, and located within the City of Richmond. According to the organization, qualifying projects include:

● Litter and Debris Removal
● Environmental Maintenance
● Urban Forestry
● Beautification

Volunteers who participate in a project will be invited to a party at the ToolBank on Saturday, May 2nd after the conclusion of Clean the Bay Day.

The Community Foundation for a greater Richmond is keeping a list of citywide projects for volunteers.

“Litter might look like an aesthetic issue, but it’s much bigger than that,” Toby Vernon, the executive director of Richmond ToolBank, wrote in a press release. “The stuff we toss—plastic bottles, bags, wrappers, cigarette butts, even vape pens—doesn’t just disappear. It ends up in our waterways, our food system, and harms wildlife at every level. This is a 100% human-caused problem, which means it’s 100% on us to take responsibility for fixing it.”