May 2026

WELCOME TO THE NEW CRA COHORTS

Welcome Spring 2026 CRAs!

This spring, we've reached an exciting milestone by welcoming two new cohorts into the CRA program.

It has been an incredible two months of growth and connection:

Our English-speaking cohort was our largest in attendance to date, with 26 new community leaders ready to make a difference.
In partnership with the community-based organization, Puente Latino, we had our very first Spanish-speaking cohort with 18 graduates!

Your commitment to the Long Beach community is inspiring as you step into this new role. By bridging the gap between awareness and action, you empower your friends, families, and neighbors to reduce waste and recycle right. You are the heartbeat of this movement, and we can't wait to see the lasting impact you'll create in the months ahead.

With gratitude,

Brandon, Daniella, Anthony, and Angelica

Spring 2026 English-Speaking Cohort

Spring 2026 Spanish-Speaking Cohort

SUPERSTAR CRAs

We want to recognize Paul San, Kerry Chhay, and Sanghak Kan (Spring '26), pictured left to right, for all their dedicated tabling efforts with community organization, Cambodia Town. They've helped educate Khmer and English-speaking Long Beach residents about recycling and composting. Their dedication has been recognized by CalRecycle, the state's recycling agency! Your hard work makes a meaningful impact.

Special Recognition

We also want to recognize Margaret Cherry (Spring '26), for her beautiful ode to our worms. Margaret presented her poem during the graduation class, and her passion and creativity truly stand out.

Carry on CRAs!

Great work, Superstars! We're excited for all you've contributed, and all you will bring to Long Beach.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REMINDERS

Talk to Us During Our Ambassador Meet Up Hour

Do you already volunteer with a local Long Beach organization? Have an idea for your neighborhood, or just need to troubleshoot a stubborn compost pile?

We are excited to announce a weekly Ambassador Meet-Up Hour! Stop by to ask your questions, share ideas, or simply catch up with fellow CRAs.

When: Every Thursday
Time: 11 a.m. - Noon
How: Via Zoom
Passcode: CRA

We'd love to see you there!

Link to Meet Up

When was the last time you logged into MyImpact? We would love to see how you're doing and celebrate all your amazing work. Your volunteer hours matter, and we appreciate your contribution to building a more sustainable Long Beach Community.

If you run into any issues, feel free to reach out to us at cra@longbeach.gov

You can also email us your hours if you would like us to log them for you.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Here are the current volunteer opportunities, which are also listed on the CRA Portal. For a refresher on how to report your volunteer hours, click here to find the Volunteer Portal Guide.

Date	Opportunity	Sign-Up Link
Every 1st Saturday of the Month 10 am - 12 pm	Stewards El Dorado Nature Center Cleanup	Click here
Every 2nd Friday of the Month 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm	Restoration & Native Gardening 2025 Restoration Fridays	Click here
Every 3rd Saturday of the Month 9 - 10 am	Wetland Warrior Cleanup at Jack Dunster Reserve	Click here
Every 4th Saturday of the Month 9 - 10 am	Clean Up Day at El Dorado Regional Park Center	Click here
Every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday Times vary per day	LB Community Table Food Distribution	Click here
Every Wednesday 12 pm - 5 pm (you do not need to stay the whole time)	Grow2Zero Farm Food Distribution	Click here
Every Friday and Sunday Click link to view times	LB Community Compost	Click here
Tuesday, May 19th 5 pm - 6:30 pm	Kitchen Pail Distribution with Ground Education Webster Elementary	Click here
Tuesday, May 19th 5 - 6:30 pm	Kitchen Pail Distribution with Ground Education Chavez Elementary	Click here
Tuesday, May 19th 5 - 6 pm	Kitchen Pail Distribution with Ground Education Grant Elementary	Click here

View Volunteer Opportunities

CONTINUING EDUCATION

You can complete a continuing education assignment for a 1- hour volunteer credit with a limit of 5 assignments. These are the continuing education assignments currently available. Please respond to this email if you have any questions.

Assignment	Link
LBRecycles Website Review	Click here
Ologies Podcast Review	Click here
How to Save a Planet Podcast Review	Click here
Write a Newsletter Article	Click here

View Assignments

FAQs

Q: Where can I access the CRA Portal?

A: The CRA Portal is linked here.

Q: Can I access My Impact Page to report hours without going through the CRA Portal?

A: Yes! Please visit MyImpactPage.com and log in to report your hours.

Q: What if I get asked a question that is not about waste reduction, recycling, or composting?

A: At events led by us there should always be a staff member available to answer questions. If someone is asking questions unrelated to the topics we have covered in class, let the community member know you are a volunteer and please ask a staff member to answer the question. If staff is not available, please give them a business card to contact us.

Q: What if the event that I want to volunteer at is not related to waste reduction, recycling, or composting, can I still count that towards my hours?

A: Only events related to waste reduction, recycling, or composting count toward volunteer hours. Please email the Program Coordinator to get a volunteer activity approved with an organization that is not on our list of current partnerships.

Q: What should I wear when volunteering?

A: Please wear your name tag and t-shirt so that community members can easily identify you as a CRA.

Q: Are there incentives for volunteering?

A: Yes! We appreciate your time spent volunteering. We will be entering folks for a chance to win a gift pack for each milestone of hours you've completed (5,10, and on). So, if you've completed 10 hours, you get two entries.

Do you have a question for us about waste reduction, recycling, composting, and/or volunteering? Ask us here!

@LBRecycles