PORTLAND, Ore. – Hundreds of volunteers spent the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service cleaning up litter from the streets of downtown Portland.

SOLVE said that nearly 400 people removed more than 3,100 pounds of trash during Monday’s cleanup.

This event is not just about beautification and health, but about empowering people and instilling a sense of pride in the city.

Organizers said projects like these move us closer to Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King's vision of a "beloved community." According to the King Center, that is part of his fundamental philosophy of nonviolence.

“To get everybody together and just honor him, he was such a big part of community and togetherness. He had a dream of everybody coming together, working together and this is our way of honoring his legacy,” said volunteer Lissette Erickson.

Erickson went on to say that it's easy to complain and say it's not your problem, but she says if they don't do it, it's not going to get done.

SOLVE holds cleanup events in the Rose City often. You can find out more about those events on their website.