HWS News
7 May 2024 • Sustainability Students Spearhead End-of-Year Donation Drive
Annual donation effort continues to support local community agencies.
As the academic year draws to a close, 10 students are working as stewards of the HWS Community Donation Effort, the campus’ end-of-year donation drive. The initiative, organized by the Center for Community Engagement & Service Learning (CCESL) and supported by Student Government, the Office of Sustainability, Residence Life and Sodexo, collects slightly used items that would otherwise be discarded, upcycles them and donates them to local community organizations.
In its 14th year, the Community Donation Effort is a testament to HWS’ commitment to community engagement and sustainability that was highlighted this year with HWS reaching climate neutrality. Instead of discarding gently used items during move-out, students are encouraged to contribute items such as clothing, household goods, books and non-perishable food items to benefit those in need in the surrounding area.
"This effort is driven by and sustained with the triple bottom line in mind: people, planet and profit,” says CCESL Director Katie Flowers. “Community organizations are equipped with the resources necessary to support their clients, roughly 10,000 pounds of material are diverted from the landfill and local nonprofits can continue to support their work without shelling out additional expenses for these necessary items."
The collected donations are sorted, packaged and distributed to local shelters, food banks and other nonprofit organizations that serve the community. “This collaborative effort not only reduces waste but also provides essential resources to those who need them the most,” says Flowers. Community partners who may be interested in obtaining some of the donated items should inquire with serve@hws.edu.
Community Donation Steward Ali Smith ’25 is glad to volunteer for the effort again this year. “I enjoy being a part of the Community Donation Effort because it fosters impactful relationships, change in the community and offers a supportive network for all. Overall, the effort encouraged me to be an active member in the community and allowed me to make important contributions that I will always remember.”
The Community Donation Effort will run through the end of student move-out following Commencement on May 19. Students can find donation bins on the first floor of every residence hall. A storage container will be placed in Odell’s for students who live in houses or other unique living arrangements; donations also can be coordinated for pick up by leaving a message at (315) 217-1719.
For more information about the drive, including donation guidelines and drop-off locations, please contact serve@hws.edu.
