USD Move-Out Donation Days Saves Over 16,000 Pounds of Items from Going to Waste
In the program’s second year, the University of South Dakota Move-Out Donation Days volunteers expanded their impact, collecting 6,590 gently used items over a five-day period in early May.
The donation program, which was started last year by Department of Sustainability & Environment students, helps prevent usable items from going to landfills when students move out at the end of the year. Items collected included food, clothing, bedding, decorations, toiletries, school supplies, kitchenware, appliances, books and other gently used items.
“This program is a great way to help students and community members in need, as well as build and strengthen relationships with campus and community organizations,” said Anna Moore, campus recycling coordinator and a sustainability master's student. “It also helps students learn the benefits of reuse, waste reduction and donating locally.”
This year, the Move-Out Donation Days program collected over six times the number of items compared to last year. Support from university committees, a strong partnership with University Housing, increased promotion and outreach and more volunteers from the campus and wider community made the program expansion possible.
In addition to strengthened community partnerships, a new sustainability graduate assistantship position within Student Services, which was filled by Elizabeth Leibel ’22, helped the donation program grow.
“It’s been incredible to see how much Move-Out Donation Days has grown from its first year,” Leibel said. “Working with community volunteers and seeing support from USD were the highlights of coordinating this program. I think Move-Out Donation Days is in a great position to continue these partnerships and grow even more next year.”
Donation partners included Marty’s Closet, Vermillion Civic Council, Community Connection Center, Habitat for Humanity ReStore and Pathways Shelter for the Homeless. This year's new donation partners included USD’s International Office, Dakota Dreams Camp and REACH-a-Reader Bookstore.
Dorm necessities and household items were donated to the International Office to help incoming international students, and pillows and bedding were donated to the Dakota Dreams Camp, a career exploration camp hosted by USD for middle school students. Books were donated to the REACH-a-Reader bookstore – a bookstore that directs their proceeds toward helping fund literacy programs in the Sioux Falls area.
“This program shows what sustainability is about – helping our community and environment through a team effort that anyone in Vermillion can be a part of,” Moore said.
“This program is a great way to help students and community members in need, as well as build and strengthen relationships with campus and community organizations,” said Anna Moore, campus recycling coordinator and a sustainability master's student. “It also helps students learn the benefits of reuse, waste reduction and donating locally.”
This year, the Move-Out Donation Days program collected over six times the number of items compared to last year. Support from university committees, a strong partnership with University Housing, increased promotion and outreach and more volunteers from the campus and wider community made the program expansion possible.
In addition to strengthened community partnerships, a new sustainability graduate assistantship position within Student Services, which was filled by Elizabeth Leibel ’22, helped the donation program grow.
“It’s been incredible to see how much Move-Out Donation Days has grown from its first year,” Leibel said. “Working with community volunteers and seeing support from USD were the highlights of coordinating this program. I think Move-Out Donation Days is in a great position to continue these partnerships and grow even more next year.”
Donation partners included Marty’s Closet, Vermillion Civic Council, Community Connection Center, Habitat for Humanity ReStore and Pathways Shelter for the Homeless. This year's new donation partners included USD’s International Office, Dakota Dreams Camp and REACH-a-Reader Bookstore.
Dorm necessities and household items were donated to the International Office to help incoming international students, and pillows and bedding were donated to the Dakota Dreams Camp, a career exploration camp hosted by USD for middle school students. Books were donated to the REACH-a-Reader bookstore – a bookstore that directs their proceeds toward helping fund literacy programs in the Sioux Falls area.
“This program shows what sustainability is about – helping our community and environment through a team effort that anyone in Vermillion can be a part of,” Moore said.
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