Make It 10 Cents! LES Pop-up Redemption Center

It's time to give canners, some of the city's most hardworking environmental workers who almost single-handedly drive the success of our state’s most successful recycling system, a raise - and we need your help.

We are holding a fundraiser, beginning with a silent auction on the evening of April 14th, 2026 at Welcome to Chinatown (115 Bowery), to benefit Sure We Can, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit recycling center and community hub that supports canners across New York City. Canners are our neighbors who collect bottles and cans to make a living, many of whom are elderly immigrants for whom canning is an essential source of income. These essential workers earn on average $5/hour, or less than a third of minimum wage. The evening will include a silent auction and the opening of an exhibition of paintings of canners in Chinatown by artist Siyan Wong.

The easiest way to support this community is to pass the Bigger Better Bottle Bill, which will increase the redemption price of cans from 5 to 10 cents and expand the types of bottles and cans that can be redeemed. In order to draw attention to this bill in advance of the legislative season, we are hosting a public pop-up redemption event on May 17th in Columbus Park, where we will simulate the passage of the bill and redeem all bottles and cans at the 10-cent rate to build awareness for this critical environmental bill that also supports some of the city's most vulnerable populations. The event will demonstrate in real time how that change would impact canners and recycling efforts across New York City.

We need to raise $10,000 to have the funds to pay canners and host this event. Your donation will go a long way toward our fundraising goals and we also hope you will join us at the launch event on April 14th.  Donors will be recognized in our event program and on social media. Sure We Can is a registered 501(c)(3) organization, and all donations are tax-deductible.

Thank you -- together, WE CAN!