RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- After years of entrepreneurship experience, a Petersburg native is launching a nonprofit cleanup organization that invites residents of all ages to clean, care for and protect their neighborhoods. That vision is taking shape locally. On Saturday, April 11, the Mother First E nvironmental Cleanup project launched its first-ever event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club on Creighton Road in Richmond, where founder Darius Burgos said inspiring youth is a major focus. Burgos, a Petersburg native who now lives in Chesterfield County, has spent the past six to eight years teaching wellness, mindfulness and fitness for free. He also uses his social media platforms to spread awareness and said that while he isn't reinventing the wheel, he first had the idea for a cleanup initiative three years ago. He also relies on his truck to carry supplies for his cleanup efforts, along with his general contracting, junk removal ad moving work. "At one point in my life, I avoided community," Burgos said. "I did a lot of things by myself. But as I've grown, I realized how important it is to have -- we all complete each other." (Video: Darius Borgus) Burgos said that shift in mindset led him to focus more on bringing people together across the Greater Richmond Region. "An organization like this would be great just to clean your environment first and then bring good people together to do something positive for our neighborhoods and communities and also lead by example," he added. The nonprofit is a one-man show, as Burgos works to honor the idea of a nonprofit and take care of the people who are putting time aside to come and help for free, placing an emphasis on removing trash and debris along Virginia's streets. April 9 career day at Lakemont Elementary School (Photo: Darius Borgus) April 9 career day at Lakemont Elementary School (Photo: Darius Borgus) Ahead of Saturday's launch, Borgus also participated in a career day on Thursday, April 9, at Lakemont Elementary School in Petersburg. "If they're walking up to the building and it's just TVs and mattresses outside and trash on the sidewalks, it kind of deters them from even wanting to be in that space," he said. Burgos shared that he received positive feedback after announcing the initiative, with about seven to eight volunteers participating on Saturday in what he described as a small, intimate gathering -- though he said that effort is just getting started. The nonprofit will hold an Earth Day cleanup from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22, at Clover Hill Church in Chesterfield. Additional work has already been done ahead of the Earth Day event. For that, he also reached out to Chesterfield Parks and Recreation and Community Enhancement departments to identify parks, neighborhoods and public spaces that need the most attention. He does his best to supply everything -- from trash grabbers to the safety vests. His ultimate goal, he said, is to bring people together to care for the environment, something he was inspired to do after seeing older community members cleaning up on their own time. "I know it's not a brand new idea," he said. "It's really just continuing the efforts of people that already do this. People have been doing this since the beginning of time." As a Petersburg native, Burgos said he would like to cover all of the Tri-Cities. He hopes to expand to the outskirts of the state and eventually beyond following the organization's Earth Day event. "It's just about meeting people in the community, like‑minded people and making those connections," he said. Additional details about the upcoming events can be found on the organization's Instagram page. ...read more read less