Inside a Council-Led Party Kit Scheme: The City of Santa Cruz
- Party Kit Network
- Jun 13
- 5 min read
Interest in party kits is steadily growing across the U.S. As in other countries, there are a variety of ways community party kits are run. The City of Santa Cruz is a brilliant example of how local government can lead on waste reduction, strengthen community connections, and provide practical support for reuse.
Julia Ribeiro from the Waste Reduction team has been leading the City of Santa Cruz party kit scheme and shares her experience.
The City’s Party Kit Scheme
The Santa Cruz party kit programme is managed by the City’s waste reduction team and offers residents free access to reusable tableware for birthdays, picnics, school events, and other community celebrations. Each kit includes reusable plates, cups, bowls, cutlery, and cloth napkins, making it easy to avoid single-use tableware when hosting events.
The initiative grew from the City’s long-standing commitment to sustainability and waste reduction. Inspired by nearby jurisdictions like Palo Alto and Redwood City, Santa Cruz developed a scalable model by enlisting and supporting local volunteers as kit hosts.
So far, they’ve launched 10 community kits, with two more on the way. A larger 200-person set is kept at the city office for internal use and other department bookings.
Setting Up the Party Kit Scheme
Each kit costs around $210 to set up, including a sturdy storage bin and 25 of each item. Due to high demand and helpful feedback from users, the team plans to increase the kits to 30 place settings each. The cost of the equipment has been covered through grant funding.
The City also invests in ongoing promotion through the Parks & Recreation guide, local newspaper listings, outreach events, and a twice-yearly newsletter sent to all residents.
The ongoing costs are low, with replacements being minimal so far - just the occasional cup or plate. The city sees the programme as a worthwhile use of resources, supporting wider reuse goals and helping to shift community behaviour in a positive direction.
Volunteer Hosts Lead the Way
The Santa Cruz model relies on a network of unpaid volunteer hosts. These local residents agree to store a kit and manage bookings from neighbours, reducing travel and increasing accessibility.
Most of the initial hosts were recruited through the city’s Master Recycler Volunteer Training Programme, a six-week course teaching waste reduction and reuse practices.
New hosts are invited to the city office for an informal orientation, where they go through the contents of the kit, sign a host agreement, and discuss expectations.
Hosts are asked to:
Lend kits to local residents
Coordinate pick-up and drop-off
Check contents between uses
Maintain sanitation standards
Track usage and report issues
Spread the word in their community
Hosts are asked to commit to a minimum of six months. Importantly, hosts are free to accept or decline loan requests at their discretion, and the city is always available to step in if problems arise, though so far, this hasn’t been necessary.
Because the party kits are free to borrow, hosts are not required to handle any money. And in this model, borrowers are responsible for washing the equipment before returning it, so hosts must ensure that borrowers understand the sanitation requirements.
There’s potential to build a sense of community among the volunteer hosts. So far, Santa Cruz has stayed in touch through group emails, but creating opportunities for hosts to exchange ideas and support one another could strengthen the network, boost engagement, and improve the scheme’s long-term success.
Celebrating Early Wins
Feedback from residents and hosts has been overwhelmingly positive. Families love the convenience and values of the scheme. One common request has been for larger kits, which led to the decision to expand the kits to 30 place settings.
The team celebrates small wins - from new volunteers joining to seeing kits in action across neighbourhoods. Getting listed on the Party Kit Network was also a milestone moment for Julia.
“I’m really happy with how frequently we have folks reach out and ask to be hosts. Our program motto is ‘Save money, build community, and reduce waste!’, and I feel like we are well on our way to accomplishing those things!”
Tracking Impact
Like many new programmes, the next big focus for Santa Cruz is measuring impact. While the large office kit has already helped avoid an estimated 11,000 single-use items over the years, tracking usage across the new volunteer-hosted kits is still a work in progress.
The city is working on a more consistent system for hosts to report back, with the goal of capturing clearer data on how often kits are used and how much waste is being avoided. This will help them evaluate the programme’s success and advocate for further investment.
It also provides the residents who use the scheme and the volunteer hosts an opportunity to celebrate their impact on local waste reduction.
Advice for Other Councils
Julia’s advice to others?
“A party kit programme helps residents save money, build community, and reduce waste. It’s a great return on investment when you consider the long-term savings in landfill costs, litter reduction, and the shift in public attitudes towards reusables. It’s a practical, scalable way to start building a reuse culture.”
She also recommends recruiting through existing engagement programmes. For Santa Cruz, the Master Recycler scheme has been key to building awareness and finding enthusiastic, knowledgeable volunteers.
Beyond Tableware
Santa Cruz’s support for reuse goes beyond party kits. The City also lends out Dori Poles and bubble machines, as popular reusable alternatives to balloons especially for school graduations and field days.
Through the Master Recycler Programme, the City continues to build local capacity for change. In the past year alone, 62 volunteers contributed over 300 hours to community outreach - and many now serve as party kit hosts, helping to embed reuse into everyday life.
Party Kits: One Concept, Lots of Possibilities
The City of Santa Cruz party kit scheme shows how local government can play a leading role in reducing waste and supporting reuse through a community-powered model. By providing volunteers with reusable tableware and empowering them to lend kits to neighbours, the city has created an accessible, low-cost solution that builds local connections and makes it easier for residents to celebrate sustainably.
This is just one of many ways party kits can be run, each shaped by the needs of its local community. In County Mayo, Ireland, for example, the council has taken a different approach, offering party kits for loan through public libraries to ensure easy access. And that’s part of the beauty of the party kit concept: it’s truly adaptable.
Whether led by councils, libraries, or individuals, every kit helps avoid waste and demonstrates the power of reuse in action.
Inspired to set up a party kit?
