Students, faculty, and staff have worked together for the last six years as part of the College’s Green Move-Out to gather items discarded by students and deliver them to local charities. This year, community residents are also being welcomed as volunteers to help May 23 and 24 after students have left for the year.
More than 7,100 pounds of items were collected last year including canned and dried food, clothing, bedding and towels, dishes, cooking utensils, toys, Halloween costumes, mattresses, furniture, TVs, refrigerators, books, and much more. Items were donated to Third Street Alliance for Women and Children, the Center for Animal Health and Welfare of Northampton County, Safe Harbor of Easton, and American Family Services Foundation.
Collection bins will be located in each residence hall until Tuesday, May 18 and again for graduating seniors and students living in off-campus housing May 23 and 24.
Katalin Fabian, associate professor of government and law at Lafayette, is one of a handful of dedicated faculty, staff, and students who started the project six years ago. “I was just sick of seeing all these very good items thrown away when I knew they could be used,” she says. “Each year we’ve continued to grow in scope, quality of donations, and awareness.”
Volunteers are needed to help remove items from collection bins on porches and residence hall lobbies, load the donations onto a large truck, and help organize the donations for delivery to charities. To volunteer, please contact Sarah Yencha, assistant director of residence life, (610) 330-5334 or yenchas@lafayette.edu.