The “Squeegee Boys”, from Baltimore, arrived at M&T Bank Stadium around 8 am on Sunday morning before the Ravens played the New York Jets.

Instead of cleaning windshields, and hoping to be paid, the volunteers helped maintain parking lots and received an hourly allowance.

The Ravens created a “Green Team” program, a work-for-pay one-day program for young people and adults during gameday. The Ravens, Star Services and the Mayor’s Office of African American Male Engagement are partnering to create the “Green Team”.

Workers at the parking lots B C G and H welcomed fans, encouraged recycling, sorted trash, and helped with proper garbage collection.

The Ravens had already won a community win before they beat the Jets.

These experiences provide youth with the opportunity to build skills, gain valuable work experience and contribute to an important community event. They also allow them to interact with fans, who are often grateful for the contributions they make to game day.

Participants also expressed that they were happy to be part of the Green Team, and look forward to new opportunities.

The project, which was launched before the Ravens game against the Chicago Bears on October 26, has been a great success. The project pays $15/hour to ten participants who work in six-hour blocks (8 a.m.-2 p.m.), with two mentors. They end the day having $90, which is essentially a debit-card.

The MOAAME, under the leadership of Baltimore’s Mayor Brandon Scott has created a ‘Squeegee Collaborative,, which aims at eliminating the need to use squeegees in Baltimore through creating pathways for work, education and entrepreneurship.

This is also a possible pathway for employment within the M&T Bank Stadium or in the event management industry.

This program benefits not only the Ravens, and keeps parking lots clean for fans but it is also environmentally friendly. The workers inform fans to sort their recyclables before the city street sweeper collects them and they end up in trash.

Evan Cohen, Ravens Director of Stadia Operations, said: “The Baltimore Ravens is thrilled to partner with the Mayor’s Office of African American Male Engagement in our Parking Lot Green Team.”

“M&T Bank Stadium has achieved LEED Gold Certification and is working towards platinum through a number of zero-waste initiatives. We are working hard to reduce our carbon footprint, and one of the ways we do this is by collecting recyclables at tailgating parties from our guests. MOAAME is essential to sort recyclable materials properly so that the Ravens don’t have single-stream waste in our parking lot.