GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio — Summer for many kids is a break from school and strict schedules. But there's no downtime or sleeping in for teen brothers Andre Willis and Drevian Arrington.
The pair are working to establish The Trash Boys, an idea sparked after seeing a TikTok account dedicated to hustles for young people.
"I want to keep this world clean… want to make it a clean place," said Willis.
Each morning, he and his brother walk their neighborhood streets in Garfield Heights, garbage bags in hand, picking up trash on sidewalks, roads and lawns.
"It just looks a lot better (and) cleaner," Willis said. "(It) feels better, and it's our home."
While picking up litter is important, it's not the main focus of The Trash Boys, a business the teens started not long after the school year ended.
"I see people struggling a lot with taking their trash cans to the curb and back, so we decided to start it — start a business and help people around," said Arrington.
The brothers said rolling full trash bins from the garage or the side of the house isn't always a smooth trip, especially for senior citizens or persons with disabilities, who make up a good portion of their customers.
Willis and Arrington said going door-to-door meeting potential clients has been enlightening.
"We do a daily count to keep track of how my flyers we have," Willis said.
Trash service is offered at a weekly and monthly rate. The brothers also offer seasonal services like raking leaves and can do small landscaping/beautification jobs.
One homeowner, who didn't want to be identified, hired The Trash Boys to revamp a strip of yard near their driveway. The homeowner said they keep the brothers' business flyer with her Bible and prays for them daily.
Jasmine Willis, the boys' mother, couldn't be more proud.
"And it's not even about the money because they don't make a lot of money," Jasmine said. "It's about them building character, learning communication skills, (and) developing a value system as far as community."
She said that along the way, her sons have come up against a few obstacles.
"There actually has been some instances where they came back home a little defeated because they knocked on the door one day and someone made fun of them for offering to help," Jasmine said.
But she keeps encouraging them. Neighbor Thomas Freeman has seen the teens' work and has made it a point to tell them they're on the right track.
"(They're) hungry for success— going about it the right way," Freeman said. "That's the way we were brought up coming up in the 50s and 60s. That's how we were brought up, and I see you still got some here… some good parents."
Willis and Arrington said they're more than okay with the early summer wake-up calls and would like to see the business grow.
"It can advance from here and we're only going to get better," Willis said.
The Trash Boys are currently working to register the business with the state. For more information on their business, reach out to them on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
A GoFundMe has also been set up to support their mission.
