J.D. Franklin  exemplifies what it means to be a hardworking man who cares about bettering his community. J.D. has always been conscious of the need to have a beautiful environment for all, evidenced by his involvement in Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup.

Not only is he dedicated to the cleanliness of his community, his company, OSI Industries, is also very environmentally friendly as well. Known for making a variety of healthy food products including fresh vegetables, salsas and beans, OSI is located across nine acres of the stunning city of Riverside, California. While OSI has a comprehensive environmental and sustainability plan in place, J.D. noticed that the area right outside of OSI headquarters was not quite as stunning. There was an abundance of litter and debris surrounding the perimeter of the facility that was detrimental to its appearance — and the local environment. J.D. also realized that the landscape had the potential to be beautiful, so he took it upon himself to remove the unwanted waste that had accumulated over the years.

He wanted everyone who worked at OSI to appreciate the beauty of the open space, so he recruited OSI employees, gathered tools and supplies, and went to work. At day’s end, J.D. and his workmates managed to transform the entire landscape. Through his leadership and example, J.D. gave his fellow employees a greater feeling for the pride of community that comes through volunteering. J.D proved that by being proactive, dedicated, and having a love for the environment, through something as simple as removing litter and debris, can make a big difference in the appearance of one’s work environment. J.D. consistently strives to make his surroundings cleaner, greener and more beautiful by taking personal responsibility.

NOMINATE a volunteer that makes an impact in your community! Keep America Beautiful is thankful for our dedicated volunteers and to celebrate them, we encourage entries for the “Volunteer Spotlight” feature on kab.org. (The volunteers can be nominated by an affiliate, State Leader or sponsor. Affiliate staff and/or State Leader staff are not eligible.)