After submitting the last final exam at the close of the school year, the first thing on most college students’ minds is cleaning out their dorm rooms and “getting out of Dodge.” The destination of their unwanted mirrors, floor fans and other college staples often comes down to the closest receptacle within reach.
To keep these items out of landfills and put them in the hands of people who can use them, Goodwill Industries of Denver partners with local colleges and universities to set up Goodwill® donation stations during move-out time.
This spring, the agency partnered for the first time with the University of Colorado-Boulder Environmental Center, establishing 23 donation stations in the lobbies of the university’s residence halls, as well as near dumpsters.
The planning and partnership paid off. According to a recent report released by the center, the joint effort rescued more than 42,000 pounds — or 21 tons — of gently used items this spring, a 108 percent increase over last year’s collection totals. Additionally, the partnership saved the university approximately $2,000 in trash hauling costs.
“College campuses with residence halls all have the same situation when move-out week comes around — students leave stuff behind because they can’t take it all home or no longer want it,” said Mike Pritchard, VP of Business Development with Goodwill. “Goodwill’s strong brand and mission work gives students a trusted option for their donations.”
In addition to CU Boulder, Goodwill has partnered with the University of Denver for two years, and recently began working with Metro State, Regis University and the Colorado School of Mines. The plan is to continue working with all of these colleges, and to add two more major college campuses in 2013.
So far in 2012, Goodwill Industries of Denver has received more than 400,000 pounds of donations through community donation drives, of which about 25 percent came from college campus drives. The remainder has come from area high schools, nonprofits, home owners associations and businesses.
