College of Charleston students donated 1,355 bags or items to Goodwill Industries of Lower South Carolina, Inc. during residence hall move out. To put that number in perspective, students saved 9,679 pounds from going into Charleston area landfills and the donations are equivalent to five days of average donations through Goodwill stores.
“This is the first year we have donated items directly to a charity,” explains Melantha Ardrey, College of Charleston director of residence life. “We really wanted to promote both sustainability and community involvement in our residence halls, so a partnership with Goodwill just made sense. We are so happy the Charleston community will benefit from the items donated by our students.”
The move out program, known as Lighten Your Load, has been going on for years, but previously, the items have been sold in a yard-sale-type setting, with profits donated alternative spring break trips through the Center for Civic Engagement.
“Donations are key to our ability to fund mission services such as job training and employment services,” says Tina Marshall, Goodwill Industries of Lower South Carolina, Inc. VP of corporate relations. “We provide clothing assistance to people in need through our Clothing Voucher program. In 2012, we provided 11,012 vouchers to people in our community. So, students can be proud to donate to Goodwill knowing that they are making an environmental impact on the community while also making difference in people’s lives. Our sincere thanks once again to the College of Charleston for your support.”
All nine campus residence halls participated in the Lighten Your Load program.
For more information, contact Melantha Ardrey at ardreym@cofc.edu.
