Students expected to donate tons of items to charity this week

April 29, 2008

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida Department of Housing & Residence Education Recycling & Sustainability Committee is sponsoring the 2008 Spring Check-Out Recycling Project. The theme this year is “Be a Recycling Hero!”

Donations of nonperishable food, clothes, small appliances, new and used school supplies, and electronics are being collected through Saturday in residence hall lobby areas during the check-out process. Items will go to The Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries, Habitat for Humanity, Peaceful Paths, the Outreach Center of Gainesville and Haven Hospice Attic. Assisting with the project are Alachua County Tools for Schools and Cartridges for Kids.

The goals of the project are three-fold: help local charitable agencies; reduce the number of usable items deposited in the local landfill during this period; and assist residents moving from residence halls. Based on past experience, an average of about $10 to $50 worth of usable items will be donated by each of 7,400 campus residents. Of equal importance, about four to five tons of usable items collected will not be deposited in the Alachua County landfills.