Our Mission

​Chicago Beach CleanUp organizes volunteer cleanup events with goals of service empowerment, Community Development, and environmental impact.
We are a 501(c)(3), tax-exempt, charitable organization

Founded in 2019 by Lauren Louise "Lou" Ellstrand and Sam Stubbs, Chicago Beach CleanUp (CBCU) was born from its founders' desire to make environmental service more accessible. CBCU hosts beach cleanup volunteer outings at Chicago-area beaches, contributing to local and global environmentalist efforts while enhancing the Lake Michigan beach experience. We pride ourselves on the smiles we bring to beachgoer faces through our cultivation of beach hygiene and the spirit of environmental service. Our events are situated within the classic pastime of going to the beach with friends, and our public cleanups bear no monetary costs to volunteers, making for highly accessible and enjoyable opportunities to make a real impact. CBCU also hosts private volunteer events to help local organizations bolster their culture and reach their environmental service goals. Past private event partners include Fortune 500 firms like Salesforce and Motorola Solutions and tech unicorns such as Stax Payments.

Meet our Co-Founders

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​Lou Ellstrand 

Lauren Louise "Lou" Ellstrand grew up in the NW suburbs of Chicago. She recently graduated with a degree in Supply Chain Management and Environmental Sustainability at the University of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign. Her favorite part about CBCU is the clear & quantifiable impact on climate change she is able to make!


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Sam Stubbs

Sam Stubbs also calls the NW suburbs of Chicago home. He recently graduated from Vanderbilt University witha degree in Human & Organizational Development with a focus on ​Community Leadership & Development. His favorite thing about CBCU is bringing smiles to beachgoer faces and getting our community excited about environmental impact!