New BrunswickA newcomer family from China is giving back by doing weekly cleanups in their Moncton neighbourhood.Eight community cleanups done so far and the plan is to keep going, says motherRhythm Rathi · CBC News · Posted: Oct 26, 2025 2:12 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesCheng En. Du and his mother, Geng Chen, have done eight weekly cleanups in their Moncton neighbourhood so far. (Green Guardians Moncton/Facebook)Cheng En. Du said he wasn’t very confident when his mother came up with the idea of doing weekly garbage cleanups.Du, who is 14, and his parents moved from China to Moncton last year.As the family navigated through the process of settling in a new country, many Canadians offered their help, said mother Geng Chen.In return, the family began cleaning up the neighbourhood each week as a way to give back.”Our language was not good, we were unfamiliar with the place, and we faced a lot of life pressure,” Chen said in an email. “But in the most difficult times, we received a lot of help.Chen is more comfortable communicating through text as she continues to learn English, she said.Cheng En. Du and his mother spend a couple of hours cleaning their neighbourhood every week, he said. (Green Guardians Moncton/Facebook)”As life gradually stabilized, we developed the idea of giving back to the community … if we can consistently clean up the streets around us every week, it will not only improve the environment, but also be a return to Canada,” Chen wrote.Du said he felt a bit embarrassed the first time he and his mother went out to pick up garbage. He said some people questioned what he was doing.He said his mother encouraged him and advised him not to listen to what other people had to say.The mother-son duo have completed eight community cleanups. They bring home the trash, sort it, and put the bags out with their own garbage. They post weekly updates on a Facebook page called Green Guardians Moncton, and plan to continue cleaning their downtown neigbourhood whenever weather permits, said Chen.Cheng En. Du says his mother’s constant encouragement has helped him keep the weekly cleanups going. (Green Guardians Moncton/Facebook)She said this has also helped them form a connection with their neighbour, who has joined their Facebook group.”Every time we go out he takes the initiative to greet us and give us a thumbs up to encourage us.”This surprised and moved us … what we do is really seen by someone,” she wrote.Du said everyone across the country can participate by cleaning their own neighbourhood, which will help improve the overall environment. The family has received messages from people willing to join their cleanups, but a busy schedule, juggling work and school has made it difficult for them to co-ordinate a fixed time, said Chen. The mother and son say the environment will greatly benefit if everyone begins to clean around their own neighbourhood. (Green Guardians Moncton/Facebook)Chen said her family is motivated to volunteer and help other people. They have volunteered in China and Nepal, and even at a Moncton animal shelter.”But due to the lack of a car, inconvenient travel, and the cold winter, it is impossible to persist for a long time.””Green Guardians is a combination of our actual situation — finding a sustainable way to give back to the Canadian community within our capabilities,” she said in the email.She said they hold on to the recyclables collected during the weekly cleanups, which they plan to exchange for some money. The money raised from recyclables will be donated to the local food bank, said Chen.”The power of individuals is small, but if we can plant the seeds of public welfare in others’ hearts, we may grow into a true green forest in the future,” said Chen in her email. “The community helped us and so we need to show gratitude definitely,” said Du.ABOUT THE AUTHORRhythm Rathi is a reporter with CBC New Brunswick in Moncton. He was born and raised in India, and attended journalism school in Ontario. Send your story tips to rhythm.rathi@cbc.ca
Newcomer family in Moncton does weekly cleanups to show gratitude
